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Community pharmacy, also known as retail pharmacy, is the most common type of pharmacy that allows the public access to their medications and advice about their health. Traditionally known as a chemist, it is the healthcare facility that is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical service to a specific community group or region.

Aetna enters agreement to procure Prodigy Health Group

Aetna today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Prodigy Health Group, the nation's largest independent third party administrator of self-funded health care plans.

28 Apr 2011

Justices question Vermont's effort to restrict drug data mining

During Tuesday's oral arguments, the justices suggested that the state law, which restricts pharmaceutical marketers' ability to obtain data on doctor prescribing habits, may violate free-speech rights.

28 Apr 2011

Adherence to diabetes medication lowers risk of hospitalization

Individuals with diabetes who adhere to their medication had lower risk of hospitalization by one-third when compared to patients who do not adhere to their medication, according to a new study. The results of the study by Prime Therapeutics (Prime), a thought leader in pharmacy benefit management, are being presented the last week in April at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's 23rd Annual Meeting and Showcase in Minneapolis, Minn.

27 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 27, 2011

In today's headlines, political push-back continues regarding the Paul Ryan budget plan and the Supreme Court seems skeptical that prescription drug data laws don't violate free speech.

27 Apr 2011

RegenceRx supports DEA program to raise awareness on unused prescription drugs

In a nationwide effort to clear homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, RegenceRx is supporting the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day taking place on Saturday, April 30.

27 Apr 2011

Wolters Kluwer Health enters agreement to acquire Lexi-Comp

Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for professionals, students and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Lexi-Comp, Inc., a leading global provider of drug information and clinical content for pharmacists and clinicians.

27 Apr 2011

Humana declares quarterly cash dividend, anticipates first quarter diluted EPS of $1.86

Humana Inc. announced today that it has realigned its business segments to more closely reflect the company's evolving business model. Effective immediately, the company will be managing and reporting its operating results using the following segments: Retail, Employer Group, and Health and Well-Being Services.

26 Apr 2011

Centene first quarter premium and service revenues increase 15.4% to $1.2 billion

Centene Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.

26 Apr 2011

Survey: Pharmacists top OTC product picks in more than 77 total categories

The 2010 Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey, conducted by the American Pharmacists Association, reveals pharmacists believe that 81% of consumers purchase the over-the-counter product that was recommended by their pharmacist, 92% of pharmacists walk a patient to the OTC section to assist with a product selection and the average patient consult takes only three minutes of the patient's time.

26 Apr 2011

Aetna achieves full pharmacy benefit management accreditation from URAC

Aetna Pharmacy Management today announced that it has been awarded full pharmacy benefit management accreditation from URAC, an independent health care accrediting organization that evaluates and monitors PBM's for quality, safety and effectiveness.

26 Apr 2011

AstraZeneca selects Biologics as U.S. channel partner for vandetanib

Biologics, Inc., an integrated oncology management company, is pleased to announce it has been selected by AstraZeneca as the exclusive U.S. strategic channel partner for vandetanib.

25 Apr 2011

AstraZeneca announces U.S. availability of vandetanib for rare medullary thyroid cancer

AstraZeneca today announced that the orphan drug vandetanib is now available to U.S. patients for the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer that cannot be removed by surgery or that has spread to other parts of the body.

25 Apr 2011

UNH takes immediate action to assist tornado victims in Southern states

UnitedHealth Group and its benefits and services businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, are taking immediate action to assist people in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia affected by the recent tornadoes.

25 Apr 2011

Recent releases in Global Health

When health ministers gather for the World Health Assembly in May they will try to come up with a solution to "a dilemma that has dogged decision-makers for decades - whether and when to destroy the last remaining stocks of the smallpox virus," David Heymann and Emma Ross, both of the Global Health Security Centre at Chatham House, write in an article in The World Today.

25 Apr 2011

Rite Aid reduces price of whooping cough vaccine for children in California

Parents in California can now get their children vaccinated against whooping cough at more than 500 Rite Aid pharmacies for the newly lowered price of $57.99. By July 1, when a new state law takes effect requiring proof of vaccination for all students entering grades 7 through 12, nearly all of the approximately 600 California Rite Aid locations will be able to vaccinate walk-in patients or by appointment.

22 Apr 2011

Baxa increases recycling initiatives by 22%

In conjunction with Earth Day 2011, Baxa Corporation today announced its continued strides to reduce the environmental impact of business operations – from manufacturing efficiency to packaging design and office processes.

22 Apr 2011

Atrasentan provides no additional benefits in phase III clinical trial for advanced prostate cancer

A Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) has determined that patients in a phase III clinical trial given atrasentan in addition to a standard chemotherapy regimen for advanced prostate cancer did not have longer survival or longer progression-free survival than patients on the same chemotherapy regimen who got a placebo rather than atrasentan.

22 Apr 2011

United Water and NCPA embark on an effort to encourage safe disposal of unused medications

United Water and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) announced a partnership today to encourage people throughout the United States to properly dispose of their unused or expired medications in an environmentally-friendly manner. A major part of the campaign will center around the NCPA's website dedicated to the program - www.DisposeMyMeds.org - that directs people to their local independent pharmacy where they can drop off their unused medications.

22 Apr 2011

Decision Resources: 63% of neurologists select Tysabri as effective MS treatment

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the majority of surveyed U.S. neurologists selected Biogen Idec/Elan's Tysabri as the most effective therapy for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, when compared to other currently available agents.

22 Apr 2011

Employers looking for ways to reduce high blood pressure in the workplace

A group of nine Kansas City employers, their broker consultant Lockton Companies, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Centers for Disease and Prevention Control, and Thomson Reuters are looking for ways to reduce high blood pressure or hypertension in the workplace.

22 Apr 2011