WALGREENS

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday reported February sales of $6.1 billion, an increase of 5% compared with the same month in fiscal 2013. Total sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2014, which ended Feb. 28, were $19.6 billion, up 5.2%. 

PHILADELPHIA — Drug Channels on Tuesday sized up the specialty pharmacy market. Last year specialty drugs accounted for 22% of all pharmacy revenue, and 63% of the specialty business is dispensed by three companies: Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Walgreens. According to Drug Channels estimates, the specialty pharmacy market generated $63.2 billion in 2013. 

BOSTON — Somersets, a line of shaving and skincare products from the United Kingdom, has announced a new retail partnership with Walgreens, beginning this month.

In support of the new distribution, Somersets will highlight Walgreens in promotional materials as well as a social media campaign. Products available at the launch locations include:


NEW YORK — Fred’s Super Dollar has visited CVS Caremark, Dollar General and Walgreens seeking bids for its Southeastern chain of discount stores, according to a report published Friday by Bloomberg News. 

Buyout firms including Miami-based H.I.G. Capital also were contacted, the report added.

SAN FRANCISCO — UC-San Francisco and Walgreens on Tuesday opened a Walgreens store on the UCSF campus that aims to improve medication safety, decrease healthcare costs and help patients use medicines more effectively by offering pharmacist-based patient care and expanded health-and-wellness services to the community. A joint effort among Walgreens, the UCSF School of Pharmacy and UCSF Medical Center, “Walgreens at UCSF” also will explore new models for improving overall patient care.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Healtheway on Monday announced the formation of Carequality, a new initiative dedicated to accelerating progress in health data exchange among multiplatform networks, healthcare providers, electronic health record vendors and health information exchange vendors. Carequality is an open, transparent and inclusive industry-driven effort. It will convene stakeholders and facilitate industry consensus to develop and maintain a standards-based interoperability framework that enables information exchange between and among networks.

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions and Walgreens earlier this week teamed up to tackle the flu in Detroit Public Schools. On Feb. 25 Walgreens, the official health and wellness partner of the Detroit Lions, will give Detroit Lions Academy students flu immunizations.

Students who choose to get flu immunizations will have the opportunity to participate in a Playworks recess session that includes special guest Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell.

Families — parents and siblings — of students are also welcome to receive complimentary flu immunizations.

SOUTHPORT, Conn. — DiversityBusiness.com earlier this month named the “Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities." More than 1.3 million diversity business owners participated in an online election to determine the “Top” 50 organizations. Wal-Mart Stores was named the leading retailer and No. 2 overall for providing business opportunities to diverse business owners throughout the United States. Food, drug and mass retailers Kroger (No. 11), Target (No. 18), Supervalu (No. 23), Walgreens (No. 26) and Ahold USA (No.