NEW YORK - Media reports on Wednesday indicated drugstore chain Walgreen Co. is in talks about a plan to offer prescription drugs directly to employees of Delta Air Lines Inc.It sells prescription drugs directly to Caterpillar Inc. employees under an arrangement that appeared to be similar to Wednesday's reported discussions.Caterpillar employees, dependents, and retirees have the option to buy prescription drugs from Walgreen, which reduces drug benefit costs for the company.

Read more: Walgreen reportedly in drug plan talks with Delta

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Although the 2009-2010 winter season has presented patients with a variety of significant hurdles to obtaining prescription drugs and pharmacy services, a recent survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) indicated that local pharmacists stepped up to the plate to make sure that patients' health care needs were met.NCPA polled 85 community pharmacies in 26 snow-plagued states over a seven-day period in February, while much of the East Coast was still digging out from "Snowmageddon" and some areas braced for additional winter precipitation."Like many Americans, community pharmacists are anxious to put this long winter season in the rear-view mirror," said Joseph H. Harmison, PD, President of NCPA and an Arlington, Texas pharmacist.

Read more: Community Pharmacists Rise to Meet Winter Weather Challenges, Survey Finds

CAMP HILL, Pa. - Drug store chain Rite Aid Corp. said Thursday that its sales at stores open at least a year fell 3.2 percent in February, hurt by a weaker cold and flu season that had consumers buying fewer medications.Analysts, on average, were expecting a decline of 1.7 percent, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters.Rite Aid said ongoing weak consumer demand and bad weather in the northeast and south hurt sales.

Read more: Rite Aid February sales decline

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and Sharps Compliance Inc. today officially announced their partnership agreement to offer the association's member pharmacies discounted services for the Sharps TAKEAWAY Environmental Return SystemTM . In conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Earth Week (April 17-24), NCPA is launching this initiative to help advance three important objectives with regards to unused medications: ensure they are discarded in an environmentally friendly manner; prevent abuse or accidental misuse; and offer an additional business opportunity for community pharmacies."This exciting partnership gives many community pharmacies an easier way to meet a growing patient demand for a safe and environmentally friendly way to safely discard unused medications," said Joseph H. Harmison, PD, NCPA President and pharmacy owner in Arlington, TX. "By using the Sharps TAKEAWAY Environmental Return SystemTM pharmacies can do well by doing good."

Read more: NCPA Partners With Sharps Compliance to Help Community Pharmacies Promote Rx Disposal Programs During Earth Week

Mar. 1--For years, pharmacists have waged a quiet battle with doctors and nurse practitioners over who gets to administer vaccines. That tussle over what has become a multibillion-dollar industry came to the forefront last fall when fears of the H1N1 virus prompted health officials in many states, including Illinois, to allow more pharmacists to administer vaccine shots under special or emergency orders. Confronted with the prospect of providing tens of thousands of doses of vaccine against two potentially deadly types of flu in the same season, Illinois officials eased regulations to allow pharmacies to provide seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines to patients 9 and older, lowered from 14.

Read more: Walgreens, CVS Lobby for Pharmacist-administered Vaccines in Illinois

Mar. 16--Pushing the boundaries of free generic drugs a bit further, Publix on Monday began offering free one-month supplies of the diabetes drug metformin, the generic form of Glucophage. The grocery chain, like other supermarkets around the country, has offered a small list of generics free for more than a year, but Publix executives said adding the blood-sugar-reducing drug is part of a new diabetes care program. Other major retailers, such as Walmart and Target, offer metformin for $4 per month.

Read more: BRIEF: Publix offers free diabetes drug

Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG) has given notice to the State of Washington that its pharmacies across the state will continue filling Medicaid prescriptions for current patients, but effective April 16 they will not accept new Washington Medicaid patients. "Obviously, we're disappointed that the alternatives we've suggested have failed to achieve a compromise," said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens executive vice president of pharmacy. As we seek to find a solution, we remain hopeful that our continued work with the State Department of Social and Health Services will ultimately result in maintaining access to quality pharmacy care for those most in need."

Read more: Walgreens to Fill Prescriptions for Current Medicaid Patients Only As of April 16; Talks Continue with State of Washington

CHICAGO, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Aging in America Conference today in Chicago, Ill., the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and CVS/pharmacy announced the recipients of the Prescription for Better Health Award after a nationwide competition for programs that provide seniors in their communities with access to activities and education that promote healthy lifestyles.Groton Senior Center of Groton, Conn., was selected as the top honoree in recognition of its program 'On Our Own: Staying Steady,' a falls prevention program that combined physical assessments for risk of falling, a home assessment and the evidence-based program, 'Matter of Balance' (MOB). "We are pleased to be recognized by the NCOA and CVS/pharmacy for our efforts to decrease the instances of falls, a frequent and preventable injury, among the seniors in our community," said Mary Jo Riley, Senior Center Supervisor of Groton Senior Center.

Read more: Connecticut Senior Center Recognized with 'Prescription for Better Health Award' from the National Council on Aging and CVS/pharmacy ; Groton, Conn., Senior Center is honored for its dedication to promoting a healthy lifestyle for seniors in its community

Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG) will release its fiscal 2010 second quarter earnings results at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday, March 23, followed by a conference call with Walgreens management beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.The conference call will be simulcast through Walgreens investor relations Web site at: http://investor.walgreens.com. A podcast also will be available on the investor relations Web site.

Read more: Walgreens Second Quarter 2010 Earnings Release, Conference Call on March 23

RMG Networks announced today the acquisition of Pharmacy TV, a digital place-based video network deployed near the pharmacist counter in major grocery chains and pharmacy retailers. The transaction adds a powerful consumer care marketing solution to RMG's rapidly growing place-based media portfolio.RMG Networks plans to accelerate Pharmacy TV deployments throughout 2010, involving both existing and newly-established venue relationships with major retail chains.

Read more: RMG Networks Extends into Pharmacies with Acquisition