HEALTH

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. Retail-based clinic operator The Little Clinic has stated for the first time that it is a wholly owned subsidiary of grocery chain Kroger.

A Kroger spokesperson was not immediately available to provide additional details.

In 2008, it was announced that Kroger had made an investment of an undisclosed amount into The Little Clinic. The investment, at that time, was described as "significant." Private equity firm Solera Capital had acquired The Little Clinic's predecessor in 2005.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The uptick in prescription drug sales growth may or may not be yet another indicator of improvement in the U.S. economy, but it is, without a doubt, indicative of a return to growth for the prescription drug market and, by extension, an indicator of growth among retail pharmacies.

(THE NEWS: U.S. drug sales saw growth in 2009, IMS Health says. For the full story, click here)