In this Issue

WASHINGTON — Proclaiming the potential cost-saving benefits of its signature legislative accomplishment, the massive health-reform bill enacted earlier this year, the White House is projecting that the Affordable Care Act will reduce average costs per patient enrolled in Medicare by thousands of dollars over the next decade.



DUBLIN, Ohio — Say goodbye to Kinray, the service-obsessed regional drug wholesaler. But say hello to a more muscular and diversified Cardinal Health.


The wholesale and health services giant announced Nov. 18 it will buy Kinray for $1.3 billion. The buyout, set for completion in early 2011, will be a boon to Cardinal, boosting its customer base to more than 7,000 independent drug stores, extending its reach in the Northeast and adding scale versus its wholesale rivals, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen.


FORT WORTH, Texas — Blending the power of one of the most widely used pharmacy automation systems with a massive database of prescribing physicians, two major pharmacy technology providers have unveiled a new partnership designed to give dispensing pharmacists immediate access to real-time prescriber data.


Retail pharmacy technology provider PDX and Healthcare Data Solutions announced the alliance in November. The goal, according to both companies, is to link users of the PDX Pharmacy System with a real-time prescriber verification process.


We’re making big changes around here in 2011 — and we’re doing it because you told us to.


Whenever we ask one of our readers what they want from Drug Store News, inevitably, the answer always is: “Tell me something I don’t already know about.”


That’s the problem with most trade magazines today — by the time you get the issue, it’s all old news; often more than a month old by the time it lands on your desk. 


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Building up its automated packaging capabilities for high-output pharmacies, Tension International Automation Solutions has acquired the exclusive rights to Maverick Enterprise’s automation technology.


The agreement includes Maverick’s UPM Tote and BottlePacker systems, along with the company’s Single BottlePacker and ErgoPack packaging technologies. TIAS also will take over service and support for Maverick’s existing automation systems.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart stores have regained a familiar feeling this holiday season, and if senior executives are right, the increased promotional intensity will halt six consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales and put the company on the right track for 2011.


NEW YORK — Following 10 years of gene research that is internationally patented, L’Oréal Paris is looking to crack the genetic code to younger-acting skin with its new Youth Code Skincare Collection.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club promises to be an even more formidable competitor in the health-and-wellness space in the years ahead, judging from the strategic priorities now in place as part of a broad-based strategy known as Project Portfolio.