NACDS releases annual chain pharmacy industry profile report
ALEXANDRIA, Va. An organization catering to the retail pharmacy industry has unveiled its 12th annual economic report.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores unveiled its 2009-2010 Chain Pharmacy Industry Profile on Monday. The report contains state-by-state and regional information about pharmacy stores, sales, tax and other data demonstrating pharmacy’s expansive connection with patients in communities across the country.
”As former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O’Neill once said, ‘all politics is local.’ NACDS’ Profile illustrates that pharmacy is also local, providing services to patients in communities in all 50 states,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “As the face of neighborhood healthcare, pharmacy is a vital healthcare provider, and plays an important role in counseling patients about their prescription medications and improving patient outcomes.”
The 2009-2010 NACDS Chain Pharmacy Industry Profile highlights data including the following national data regarding chain pharmacy, which is broken out by state in the complete report:
- 37,000 chain pharmacy locations
- 2.5 million employees
- 132,000 pharmacist positions (118,000 full-time equivalents)
- More than 170,000 pharmacy technician positions
- Chain pharmacies fill 2.5 billion prescriptions yearly (over 72% of all retail prescriptions dispensed annually in the United States)
“Nearly all Americans live within five miles of a community retail pharmacy, and the data in this report is organized appropriately to tell the story of pharmacy in both national and local terms,” said Anderson. “Access to the expertise and counsel of a pharmacist is often just around the corner and as the healthcare debate continues, NACDS continues its high engagement in showing both the research and the immeasurable value of the pharmacist in helping to keep patients healthy and keeping healthcare costs down.”
To purchase a copy of the NACDS 2009-2010 Chain Pharmacy Industry Profile, please visit the NACDS Web site: http://www.nacds.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=6264.