Drug Topics - December 12, 2008 - (Page 10)

Up front INDUSTRY NEWS & ANALYSIS Coalition subsidizing generators for Atlanta-area pharmacies An Atlanta-area civic group has arranged signi cant discounts so pharmacies can buy generators to ensure the ow of pharmaceuticals is not interrupted during power failures or natural disasters. The group, the Buckhead Coalition, is partnering with Home Depot and Georgia Power Company to subsidize generator purchases so that area pharmacies will have the electrical power needed to dispense medications during service disruptions. “There are 22 pharmacies in the Buckhead community, but almost half did not have generators when the initiative started, and this was a danger we could not tolerate,” said Sam Massell, former Atlanta mayor and president of the coalition. According to the American Pharmacists Association, about 32,000 Buckhead residents use prescription medications and 6,500 prescriptions are dispensed daily. Under the subsidy program, Georgia Power offers grants of up to 70 percent and the coalition offers 5 percent grants for the generators. Equipment bought through Home Depot is discounted 20 percent, providing savings totaling as much as $7,300. Only pharmacies in Buckhead qualify. “We are pleased to be the commercial partner in this unique initiative to help draw attention to a need that under certain circumstances could save many lives,” said Home Depot manager David Hawkins. “We hope it becomes the model for others to emulate.” A civic group gave a generator to the Tuxedo Pharmacy in Buckhead, Ga. to ensure uninterrupted dispensing. HEALTH SAVINGS PASS CVS pharmacy program targets uninsured CVS has introduced a new pharmacy program to offer the uninsured affordable prescriptions. Starting in October, consumers who obtain a CVS Health Savings Pass for a $10 annual enrollment fee can ﬁll a 90-day prescription for one of more than 400 common generic medications for $9.99 at a CVS. In addition, the Health Savings Pass will provide access to services and screenings at MinuteClinic, the largest retail healthcare clinic in the United States, at a 10 percent discount for cash-paying patients. Both companies are divisions of DONATION UIW selected to house pharmacy museum The Pharmacy Museum Foundation of Texas is donating a collec- 10 DRUG TOPICS D E C . 15, 2008 W W W.D R U GTO P I C S .C O M COURTESY OF BUCKHEAD COALITION CVS Caremark. “The country is facing a very challenging economic environment. People are struggling with healthcare costs, especially the uninsured and the underinsured,” Tom Ryan, CVS Caremark chairman, president, and CEO, said. “As the largest provider of pharmacy healthcare in the nation, we felt it was the right time to offer consumers another way to make their healthcare more affordable.” tion of industry antiques valued at $250,000 to the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Feik School of Pharmacy in San Antonio, Texas. The museum will donate its inventory of more than 4,000 antique pieces dating from 1850 to 1950, including pharmacy equipment, furnishings, books, materials, bottles, tools, and scales. The Pharmacy Museum collection will be displayed in the lobby of the school of pharmacy. Arcelia Johnson-Fannin, PhD, founding dean of the pharmacy school, said the school is honored to have been selected to house the collection. “We are glad to have it grace our building and will proudly show it off to the public,” she said. http://WWW.DRUGTOPICS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - December 12, 2008

Drug Topics - December 12, 2008 Contents Up Front Up Front In Depth Letters Health-System Edition Cover Story: Controlled Substance Disposal a Growing Problem for Hospitals Pharmacists Hope for Speedy Approvals Deaths from C. Difficile Increasing PharmMD Teams with HealthSpring RX Care Commentary Ohio Hospital Automates Pharmacy The Business Outlook for 2009 OTC The Pharmacist's Duty to Warn: Implications for Pharmacy Practice New Products Viewpoint

Drug Topics - December 12, 2008

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