Stuffing Yourself with Noteworthy News

Here are 3 interesting articles to go with your cranberry sauce. No more blogging this week because of the holiday.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

CVS Caremark Chief Offers Reassurance On Business Model
CVS Caremark CEO Tom Ryan apologized for focusing “too much on the retail side.” No surprise to Drug Channels readers who recall my May post when I asked: “Is CVS Caremark sacrificing its PBM business to benefit the retail business?” My thoughts on the November 5 bombshell are in CVS Caremark: Pharmacy Gain, PBM Pain.

Ominous Warning in Omnicare Settlement
The RPM Report sees trouble ahead for pharmaceutical manufacturers in distributor Omnicare’s settlement with the Department of Justice: “payment for product selection masquerading (in the government’s view) as payment for data and research.”

HHS to warn consumers of flu drug price gouging
The USA Today was apparently shocked (shocked, I tell you!) to discover that pharmacy list prices—consumer out-of-pocket costs—for liquid Tamiflu range from $43 to $130 in a sample of 100 pharmacies. Those of us with insurance typically don’t pay attention to list prices. Think about this issue for a minute and you’ll understand why pharmacies resent third-party payers and why cash-pay consumers are more profitable to pharmacies.

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I hope you enjoy a restful and happy holiday. We’re having a traditional Thanksgiving at my house. We’ll be inviting the neighbors over, giving them smallpox and stealing their houses.


P.S. Don't forget to ask me how your company can reach the Drug Channels audience.