INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — You can't uncrack an egg. That's the preliminary reply Express Scripts gave to the district court hearing the case filed by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacist Association to block the merger between Express Scripts and Medco. The pharmacy industry's concern, however, revolves around what kind of beast will hatch from this ESI-Medco merger if that cracked egg isn't unscrambled.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The release by Walgreens of case studies that detail how retail pharmacy can expand access to immunizations is obviously important on several fronts, but it really makes one stop and wonder: What could be done if laws didn't vary by state in terms of what types of vaccinations pharmacists can deliver?

ATLANTA — Sales of smoking-cessation products may realize a March boom following a recent government advertising campaign that encourages Americans to quit smoking.

One week following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's launch of its Tips from Former Smokers campaign, calls to the 1-800-QUIT-NOW quitline were up 130.4%, the agency reported Monday. Calls were up an additional 3.5% in the subsequent week.

A record 34,413 calls were fielded between March 26 and April 1, the CDC reported.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — It's no secret that something has been afoot for the last few years: Retail pharmacies have gradually metamorphosed from places to pick up pills to destinations for health care — places to get everything from vaccines to care from nurses and even from physicians.

Given retail pharmacies' evolving role, the growing number of employers starting wellness programs has opened up a number of possibilities, which some retail pharmacy companies have already started exploring.

BOSTON — A study conducted by Brodeur Partners has unveiled the most relevant retailers in the United States.

WASHINGTON — More than two-thirds of Americans (71%) reported the economy has not affected their household’s purchasing habits of dietary supplements, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

NEW YORK — More employers continue to start wellness programs, and the majority of organizations with programs currently in place are looking to invest and expand, according to the "2011 Willis Health and Productivity Survey" by Willis North America's Human Capital Practice released Tuesday.

NEW YORK — Consumers this spring are planning to spend the same or more at retail than last year, according to the latest Deloitte survey.

In its 2012 Spring Consumer Pulse survey, Deloitte found that more than two-thirds of consumers surveyed (67%) said they plan to spend the same or more, a 9% increase from 2011, with many of them feeling slightly better about the economy than this time last year (57% versus 52% last year).