RITE AID

PHILADELPHIA — Five pharmacies dominated prescription drug dispensing revenues in the United States last year, according to a new study.

The proprietary study, by the Drug Channels Institute, found that pharmacy retailers CVS Caremark, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts accounted for 63% of all prescription drug revenues in the $276.5 billion U.S. pharmacy industry in 2012.

Costco announced in its January 2013 magazine that it would begin offering pharmacy benefit management services, targeting small businesses and highlighting a 200-employee company based in Washington state.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid has obtained 400,000 new seasonal flu shots, which began arriving in stores earlier this week, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

The company said it was delivering the shots to areas of need based on actual or anticipated flu activity.

“A drug store in the palm of your hand.” That’s what Walgreens calls the fast-growing suite of health and pharmacy services now available from many retail pharmacies to Americans with smartphones.

Technology vendors, pharmacies and other health providers are keeping pace with a slew of interactive health offerings.  For proof, one need look no further than the nation’s biggest drug store retailers.

Amid an unusually strong flu season that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called an epidemic, supplies of flu vaccines are running low, and some people hoping to get immunized are having trouble finding them.

NEW YORK -- Growth in the consumer products market is likely to slow down over the next five years, while pharmacy retailers will see a profit windfall due to the generic drug cycle, according to a new report.

MINNEAPOLIS — In a move that will reunite all Albertsons stores under one operator, Supervalu on Thursday morning announced a definitive agreement under which it will sell 877 stores across the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market banners and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, in a transaction valued at $3.3 billion.

NEW YORK — The rocketing incidence of flu has been characterized as the most severe in at least a decade, and it's only going to get worse. Or better, depending upon your perspective.