INSIDER
Walgreens to close 1,200 stores as US pharmacies struggle to define a new role
Read full article: Walgreens to close 1,200 stores as US pharmacies struggle to define a new roleWalgreens is planning to close around 1,200 locations, as the drugstore chain and its rivals struggle to define their role for U.S. shoppers who no longer look to them first for convenience.
Walgreens to pay $106M to settle allegations it submitted false payment claims for prescriptions
Read full article: Walgreens to pay $106M to settle allegations it submitted false payment claims for prescriptionsWalgreens agreed to pay $106 million to settle lawsuits that alleged it submitted false payment claims with government health care programs for prescriptions that were never dispensed.
Lawsuit filed in case of teen who died after eating spicy chip as part of online challenge
Read full article: Lawsuit filed in case of teen who died after eating spicy chip as part of online challengeA lawsuit has been filed in the case of a Massachusetts teen who died after participating in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media.
Walgreens to take a hard look at underperforming stores, could shutter hundreds more
Read full article: Walgreens to take a hard look at underperforming stores, could shutter hundreds moreWalgreens is finalizing a plan to fix its business that could result in the closure of hundreds of additional stores in the next three years.
As pharmacies shutter, some Western states, Black and Latino communities are left behind
Read full article: As pharmacies shutter, some Western states, Black and Latino communities are left behindUrban and rural communities have come to depend on pharmacies as a trusted care option and a place for advice.
LIVE: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference at South Florida drug store to talk about cracking down on retail theft
Read full article: LIVE: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference at South Florida drug store to talk about cracking down on retail theftFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday is set to hold a news conference at a drug store in South Florida.
Walgreens to pay $275,000 to settle allegations in Vermont about service during pandemic
Read full article: Walgreens to pay $275,000 to settle allegations in Vermont about service during pandemicWalgreens has agreed to pay $275,000 to settle allegations about service in some of the national pharmacy chain's Vermont stores during the coronavirus pandemic.
Drugstore chain Walgreens cuts quarterly dividend to get more cash to grow its business
Read full article: Drugstore chain Walgreens cuts quarterly dividend to get more cash to grow its businessWalgreens is chopping its dividend nearly in half as the drugstore chain looks to strengthen its balance sheet.
Pharmacists prescribe another round of US protests to highlight working conditions
Read full article: Pharmacists prescribe another round of US protests to highlight working conditionsDrugstore employees around the country have started calling in sick to highlight a lack of support from their employers.
Walgreens pharmacy staffers stage walkouts over work conditions
Read full article: Walgreens pharmacy staffers stage walkouts over work conditionsWalgreens has named a new CEO as pharmacy staff walked off the job this week over concerns that working conditions are putting employees and patients at risk.
Nevada secures $285M opioid settlement with Walgreens, bringing total settlements to $1 billion
Read full article: Nevada secures $285M opioid settlement with Walgreens, bringing total settlements to $1 billionThe state of Nevada has reached a $285 million settlement with Walgreens regarding the pharmacy chain’s role in the opioid epidemic.
San Francisco DA releases video of Walgreens security guard fatally shooting alleged shoplifter
Read full article: San Francisco DA releases video of Walgreens security guard fatally shooting alleged shoplifterSan Francisco’s district attorney has released surveillance video of the shooting death of a suspected shoplifter by an on-duty Walgreens security guard.
Florida health agency issues notice to providers following FDA decision on mifepristone
Read full article: Florida health agency issues notice to providers following FDA decision on mifepristoneThe Food and Drug Administration recently made a regulatory change, paving the way for the sale of mifepristone at retail pharmacies — and executives at Walgreens and CVS have both said they plan to carry it where it’s permitted.
Walgreens push into comprehensive care picks up momentum
Read full article: Walgreens push into comprehensive care picks up momentumWalgreens extended its push into more comprehensive health care with its VillageMD unit acquiring another urgent and primary care chain, Summit Health-CityMD, in a deal worth close to $9 billion.
Judge: Pharmacies owe 2 Ohio counties $650M in opioids suit
Read full article: Judge: Pharmacies owe 2 Ohio counties $650M in opioids suitA federal judge in Cleveland has awarded $650 million in damages to two Ohio counties that sued pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens and Walmart saying their opioid distribution policies created a public nuisance.
Judge: Walgreens contributed to San Francisco opioid crisis
Read full article: Judge: Walgreens contributed to San Francisco opioid crisisA federal judge has ruled that Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Francisco’s opioid crisis for over-dispensing opioids for years without proper oversight and failing to identify and report suspicious orders as required by law.
Walgreens, Florida settle opioid costs lawsuit for $683M
Read full article: Walgreens, Florida settle opioid costs lawsuit for $683MThe Walgreens pharmacy chain has reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida in a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly dispensing millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid crisis.
Where will free N95 masks be available in Florida?
Read full article: Where will free N95 masks be available in Florida?The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to U.S. residents starting next week, now that federal officials are emphasizing their better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings.
Jury in Elizabeth Holmes trial hears replay of her boasts
Read full article: Jury in Elizabeth Holmes trial hears replay of her boastsJurors in the fraud trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes returned to the courtroom Thursday to listen to a replay of audio recordings that captured her brash promises about a vaunted blood-testing technology the propelled her meteoric rise and scandalous downfall.
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes faces cross-examination
Read full article: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes faces cross-examinationThe fraud trial of fallen Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is set to resume Tuesday with continued cross-examination of Holmes and possible expert psychological testimony.
CVS Health to close hundreds of drugstores over next 3 years
Read full article: CVS Health to close hundreds of drugstores over next 3 yearsCVS Health will close hundreds of drugstores over the next three years, as the health care giant adjusts to changing customer needs and converts to new store formats.
Walmart, CVS, Walgreens among pharmacies now giving COVID-19 vaccines to young children
Read full article: Walmart, CVS, Walgreens among pharmacies now giving COVID-19 vaccines to young childrenSome of the largest pharmacies in the country are now giving out COVID-19 vaccine shots for children 5 to 11.
US hiring slows as delta variant weakens travel and tourism
Read full article: US hiring slows as delta variant weakens travel and tourismAmerica’s employers added just 235,000 jobs in August, a modest gain after two months of robust hiring at a time when the delta variant’s spread has discouraged some people from flying, shopping and eating out.
Publix, CVS, Walgreens offering 3rd COVID-19 vaccine dose for those with weak immune systems
Read full article: Publix, CVS, Walgreens offering 3rd COVID-19 vaccine dose for those with weak immune systemsPublix, CVS and Walgreens are offering a third COVID-19 vaccine shot for certain immunocompromised people.
Target, CVS join chains making masks optional for fully vaccinated shoppers
Read full article: Target, CVS join chains making masks optional for fully vaccinated shoppersTarget, CVS, Winn-Dixie, Publix, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Starbucks have all announced they’re dropping their requirements that fully vaccinated customers wear face coverings in their stories, following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance issued Thursday.
Governors applaud Biden's vaccine timeline, but need supply
Read full article: Governors applaud Biden's vaccine timeline, but need supplyIn Virginia, state vaccine coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said the state could hit Biden’s goal earlier. But several governors cautioned it must come with a dramatic increase in vaccine supply. “It could be a delay for people to actually get a vaccine because of the operational constraints," she said. We can’t disappoint people who eagerly want a vaccine,” said Pat Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority. Elsewhere, governors met Biden's goal with enthusiasm.
16 Walgreens pharmacies in Jacksonville to begin giving vaccinations
Read full article: 16 Walgreens pharmacies in Jacksonville to begin giving vaccinationsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville residents will have more options when it comes to getting the coronavirus vaccine this week after Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that 16 Walgreens pharmacies in the city will begin administering shots. Previously, just 12 Walgreens stores in the state were offering the vaccine, but that will now expand to 97. AdAll three vaccines -- Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna -- will be offered at the stores. The site, located at the Southside Sports Complex on SW Bascom Norris Drive, will administer 1,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, DeSantis said.
The Latest: Kentucky urges Black citizens to get vaccinated
Read full article: The Latest: Kentucky urges Black citizens to get vaccinatedJim Thurman counts himself among the converts who recognize the importance of taking a COVID-19 vaccine. AdHealth authorities say first-generation COVID-19 vaccines still protect against variants of the virus that are emerging in different parts of the world. AdIn a separate announcement, Moderna also said it plans to manufacture 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine globally this year, up from 600 million. Bosnia, a country of 3.3 million, expects 1.2 million vaccines through COVAX. On Wednesday, Ghana has become the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX.
COVID-19 vaccines coming soon to CVS, Walgreens, other pharmacies
Read full article: COVID-19 vaccines coming soon to CVS, Walgreens, other pharmaciesCVS, Walgreens, Winn-Dixie, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Costco are among the big-name companies will soon join Publix in getting COVID-19 vaccines out into senior citizens and others who qualify for a shot. Walgreen’s website says the CDC is working with their pharmacies to optimize vaccine access in areas with a high social vulnerability index score. The number of participating pharmacies and the allocation of vaccines is expected to grow as drug makers increase production. It is allowing state and local governments to receive additional federal dollars to cover previously incurred expenses relating to the pandemic. Participating are major chains like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, big box stores such as Walmart and Costco, and supermarket pharmacies.
Anxiety grows as long-term care awaits COVID-19 vaccines
Read full article: Anxiety grows as long-term care awaits COVID-19 vaccinesThat includes both nursing homes, where residents get 24-hour-a-day medical care; assisted living facilities, where people generally need less help; and other types of group homes. In many places, home operators and residents' relatives have watched with frustration as states opened vaccine eligibility to other populations before the work in long-term care homes was finished. The government tasked CVS and Walgreens with administering the shots to long-term care locations in nearly every state. Severine Petras watched a COVID-19 outbreak develop at a Pennsylvania assisted living home her company operates a couple weeks before the first vaccines arrived. As of Sunday morning, 3.5 million doses have been given in long-term care facilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Walgreens taps Starbucks exec Brewer as its new CEO
Read full article: Walgreens taps Starbucks exec Brewer as its new CEOFILE - Starbucks COO Roz Brewer talks about the proposed redesign of a Starbucks store in New Jersey as she speaks Wednesday, March 20, 2019, during the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. Walgreens has tapped Roz Brewer as its new CEO, which will make her the only Black woman currently leading a Fortune 500 company. Brewer will take over as Walgreens CEO on March 15, 2021 after a little more than three years as Starbucks' chief operating officer. At Starbucks, Brewer revamped stores, taking out clutter and cutting down on administrative work so employees could focus on customers and speed up service. Prior to joining Starbucks, Brewer served as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, the members-only warehouse channel of Walmart Inc. She also grew membership and improved merchandise there.
St. Johns County to begin second doses of vaccine Tuesday
Read full article: St. Johns County to begin second doses of vaccine Tuesday(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – St. Johns County announced it will begin administering second dose COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center, 1300 Duval Street. Second dose vaccines will be administered by appointment only and have been allocated to those who received their first dose vaccination from St. Johns County or the Department of Health-St. Johns. More appointments for the first dose for Florida seniors age 65 and older and frontline health care workers will be made available when St. Johns County receives additional vaccines. For more information on St. Johns County’s COVID-19 vaccination program, please call the St. Johns County COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 904.295.3711 (dial all 10 digits), text SJCVACCINE to 888777, or visit www.sjcfl.us/coronavirusvaccinations. The 14 Publix store pharmacies in St. Johns County are also giving vaccines.
Latest round of vaccine appointments in St. Johns County fill up in about an hour
Read full article: Latest round of vaccine appointments in St. Johns County fill up in about an hour(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County received an allotment of 1,950 Pfizer vaccines from the State of Florida this week and appointments filled up just over an hour after they were opened Thursday morning. All appointments were filled by 10:11 a.m., according to a text alert from the countyThe limited number of COVID-19 vaccines St. Johns County receives from the State of Florida determines appointment availability. More appointments will be opened when St. Johns County receives additional vaccines. Those who receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine through St. Johns County will leave with an appointment scheduled for the second dose. For updates regarding St. Johns County’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit www.sjcfl.us/coronavirusvaccinations or text SJCVACCINE to 888777.
States will start getting COVID-19 vaccine Monday, US says
Read full article: States will start getting COVID-19 vaccine Monday, US saysTrucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states, said Army Gen. Gustave Perna of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. Initially, about 3 million doses were expected to be shipped nationwide. Perna compared the vaccine distribution effort to D-Day, the U.S.-led military offensive that turned the tide in World War II. The vaccine was timed to arrive Monday so health workers could receive the shots and begin giving them, Perna said. The announcement came after revelations that the White House opted not to lock in an additional 100 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for delivery in the second quarter of 2021.
Vaccine rollout could ease crisis, but who gets it first?
Read full article: Vaccine rollout could ease crisis, but who gets it first?In October, a panel advising the federal government suggested setting aside 10% of the vaccine supply to distribute as an extra boost to the states with greater shares of disadvantaged groups. Vulnerable people will face more rationing in states such as New Mexico that have higher shares of vulnerable people. The analysis shows 15 states and Washington, D.C., have the largest shares of vulnerable, low-income minorities. A federal set-aside is not the only way to get vaccine to vulnerable neighborhoods. In their vaccination plans, 18 states have said they will consider race and income as they map out vaccine distribution.
Amazon opens online pharmacy, shaking up another industry
Read full article: Amazon opens online pharmacy, shaking up another industryThe retail colossus opened an online pharmacy Tuesday that allows customers to order medication or prescription refills, and have them delivered to their front door in a couple of days. All have upped online services and touted their abilities to deliver prescriptions and other goods as the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more consumers to stay home. The company said its online pharmacy will offer commonly prescribed medications in the U.S., including creams, pills, as well as medications that need to stay refrigerated, like insulin. They can also get discounts at 50,000 physical pharmacies around the country at Costco, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and other stores. Two years ago, it spent $750 million to buy online pharmacy PillPack, which organizes medication in packets by what time and day they need to be taken.
Neptune Beach police: 1 sought in Walgreens armed robbery
Read full article: Neptune Beach police: 1 sought in Walgreens armed robberyNEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – Officers are asking for the public’s help to identify a person sought in an armed robbery Tuesday at a Walgreens, the Neptune Beach Police Department said. Police said the robbery happened around 4:15 p.m. at the store on Atlantic Boulevard at Third Street. Suspect from today's armed robbery in Neptune Beach. @wjxt4 https://t.co/jxCVo33i9n — Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) October 21, 2020Anyone who recognizes the person pictured in the surveillance image released by the Police Department is asked to call the agency at 904-270-2413. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).
President Trump touts vaccine partnership with pharmacies
Read full article: President Trump touts vaccine partnership with pharmaciesFORT MYERS, Fla. – Campaigning Friday in Fort Myers, President Donald Trump pledged to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to many senior citizens free of charge through a partnership with two major pharmacy chains. The president also has said he would have vaccines available to the public by the Nov. 3 election. And even if vaccines were available, it’s not clear Americans, especially older ones, would get vaccinated. Trump, who also held a rally in Ocala, will likely be unable to win a second term if he loses the state. The news about the vaccine partnership also came as states were required to submit draft plans to the federal government about how they will distribute a coronavirus vaccine when one is approved for public use.
Feds planning now to get coronavirus shots to nursing homes
Read full article: Feds planning now to get coronavirus shots to nursing homesUnder the voluntary program, trained staff from CVS and Walgreens would deliver the vaccines to each nursing home and administer shots. The nation has 15,000-16,000 nursing homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The use of retail chain pharmacies has prompted some concerns, because nursing homes typically deal with specialized pharmacies and not the big drugstores catering to consumers. Mango said the plan would accommodate nursing homes that want to continue to work with specialized pharmacies. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the program will “provide convenient and free vaccination to residents of nursing homes across America.”
Judge rejects pharmacy chains' bid to toss opioid suits
Read full article: Judge rejects pharmacy chains' bid to toss opioid suits(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)CLEVELAND Lawsuits filed by two Ohio counties against retail pharmacy chains claiming their opioid dispensing practices flooded communities with pain pills and were a a public nuisance can continue, a federal judge in Cleveland has determined. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster rejected the pharmacy chains' motion to dismiss the suits, ruling Thursday that the Ohio law does indeed apply to Lake and Trumbull counties' nuisance claims. Polster is overseeing more than 2,000 lawsuits filed by local governments, tribal authorities and others against companies they blame for fueling an opioid epidemic that has killed 430,000 people since 2000. The two northeast Ohio counties' lawsuits against CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and Giant Eagle were the first to target retail pharmacy chains as both distributors and dispensers of painkillers. Those claims seek damages from the retail chains as distributors of painkillers but not as dispensers.
Walgreens lost $1.7B in 3Q as global pandemic tightened grip
Read full article: Walgreens lost $1.7B in 3Q as global pandemic tightened gripWalgreens quarter ended May 31, encapsulating a three-month period in which consumer activity came to a screeching halt. Walgreens furloughed more than 16,000 employees at the peak of the pandemic in the United Kingdom. Sales at its Boots stores there dropped nearly 28% on a constant currency basis. Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. slumped 9%, close to a new low for the year. The pandemic accelerated changes planned for its Boots stores, which includes closing optician locations and reducing staff at the U.K. support office.
Teenager shot in Walgreens parking lot
Read full article: Teenager shot in Walgreens parking lotJACKSONVILLE, Fla. Just before 5 p.m. Sunday the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office responded to calls of a person shot outside of a Walgreens on Lem Turner Road and Rowe Avenue. When officers arrived, they found a teenage boy suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Officers then made contact with the victims at the Walgreens, but the suspect fled the scene. News4Jax spoke with a clerk at the Walgreens who said staff didnt hear the gunfire, but noticed the flashing lights when police arrived. Detectives have not determined a motive, but anyone with further information is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS to remain anonymous.
How to get free or discounted prescription drugs during the coronavirus crisis
Read full article: How to get free or discounted prescription drugs during the coronavirus crisisTalk with your local pharmacistDiPietro remembers the exact moment he decided to offer unemployed people in his community free prescriptions. Provide proof you lost your job, and co-owner Chris Antypas, Pharm.D., will give you a 90-day supply of most generic drugs free of charge. During the coronavirus crisis, it has offered a two-month supply to anyone in the local community who says they need it, says Aaron Broomall, executive director of Faith Community Pharmacy. To get free prescriptions, you need to show that your monthly expenses equal or exceed your monthly income, he says. Walmart has long featured a $4-per-month or $10-per-three-month program for hundreds of generic drugs.
COVID-19 testing at Walgreens
Read full article: COVID-19 testing at WalgreensCOVID-19 testing at WalgreensPublished: April 28, 2020, 9:14 amWalgreens is expanding it's drive-thru testing for COVID-19 and it's goal is to test 50 thousand people a day. It says it's working with government and health leaders to focus on under-served communities.
KKR reportedly wants to buy Walgreens
Read full article: KKR reportedly wants to buy WalgreensJustin Sullivan/Getty Images(CNN) - Walgreens reportedly wants to go private, and KKR is said to be interested in buying it. The acquisition would almost certainly be the largest private takeover in history. Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance surged 6% in early trading Monday on the report. But a buyout by KKR could make sense: KKR already has done a deal with the top investor of Walgreens, when it took UK-based drugstore chain Alliance Boots private in 2007 for $22 billion. KKR worked with then Alliance Boots deputy chairman Stefano Pessina, who was the largest shareholder in Alliance Boots, on the deal.
Drug companies settle ahead of opioid crisis trial
Read full article: Drug companies settle ahead of opioid crisis trialCopyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - The "Big Three" U.S. drug distributors and a major drugmaker have reached a $260 million deal to settle a lawsuit ahead of a federal trial over the opioid crisis. Drugmaker Teva is to contribute $20 million in cash and $20 million worth of suboxone, a drug that treats opioid addiction, AP reported. Six drug companies accused in thousands of lawsuits over their role in the nation's opioid epidemic had been slated for a high-profile trial Monday. They included the three pharmaceutical distribution companies, a smaller distributor called Henry Schein Medical, generic drug company Teva Pharmaceuticals and pharmacy chain Walgreens, according to court documents. Failed talks Friday lasted more than 10 hours and took place between the four distribution companies' CEOs, attorneys general from Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, and lawyers representing over 2,000 state, local and Native American tribal governments.
Drug companies fail to reach settlement ahead of opioid crisis trial
Read full article: Drug companies fail to reach settlement ahead of opioid crisis trialCopyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Six drug companies accused in thousands of lawsuits over their role in the nation's opioid epidemic failed to reach a settlement with governments across the country, setting the stage for a high-profile trial Monday. There were talks earlier this week with five companies settling for potentially settling for $50 billion, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The companies proposed to pay a combined $18 billion over 18 years. Purdue Pharma previously reached a proposed settlement agreement in the litigation. The New York Times first reported news of a nearly $50 billion settlement.
Walgreens, Google affiliate to launch drone delivery test
Read full article: Walgreens, Google affiliate to launch drone delivery testJoe Raedle/Getty ImagesWalgreens and a Google affiliate are testing drone deliveries that can put drugstore products on customer doorsteps minutes after being ordered. Drone deliveries in the United States are still largely in early testing. Google announced in April that Wing received federal approval to make commercial drone deliveries. It marked the first time a company has gotten a federal drone delivery certification. Walgreens and Wing picked Christiansburg for their test because Wing has been working with nearby Virginia Tech on drone deliveries.
Walgreens asks customers not to openly carry guns in its stores
Read full article: Walgreens asks customers not to openly carry guns in its storesJustin Sullivan/Getty Images(CNN) - Walgreens is asking customers to no longer openly carry guns into its stores in states where open carry is legal, the company announced Thursday. It joins fellow retailers Walmart and Kroger, which announced similar policies the day before. Watts said Moms Demand had been pushing Walmart and Kroger to stop allowing open carry since 2014, and Walgreens since 2015. Watts said that in addition to keeping employees and customers safer, asking customers not to openly carry guns in their stores puts these retailers on a new side of the gun debate. "Prohibiting open carry sends a very strong cultural signal that companies are siding with the safety of families," Watts said.
Florida Blue offering free flu shots in Jacksonville
Read full article: Florida Blue offering free flu shots in JacksonvilleJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Whether you have insurance or not, you can get a flu shot free of charge this fall through Florida Blue. To get a flu shot, stop by the Florida Blue at any of the three Jacksonville locations on select Thursdays and Saturdays between 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.You must be at least 18 years old to get a flu shot. Everyone getting a flu shot at the Florida Blue Center will receive a free $5 Walgreens gift card, while supplies last. Last year, 110 flu shot clinics were offered across the state with more than 3,600 flu vaccines given at no cost to Floridians. Florida Blue Centers across the state including three Jacksonville locations:St. Johns Town Center 4855 Town Center ParkwayRiver City Marketplace 13141 City Station DriveWinston YMCA 221 Riverside Ave.
Low-cost alternatives to EpiPen available now
Read full article: Low-cost alternatives to EpiPen available nowConsumer Reports wants parents to know there are low-cost epinephrine alternatives available now. The full line of the talking epinephrine auto-injector, Auvi-Q, is now available at Walgreens at no cost to consumers who have commercial insurance. And because store inventories vary, call ahead to make sure your pharmacy has the epinephrine injector you want. All Consumer Reports material Copyright 2019 Consumer Reports, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not-for-profit organization which accepts no advertising.
Walgreens will close about 200 US stores
Read full article: Walgreens will close about 200 US storesJustin Sullivan/Getty Images(CNN) - Walgreens will close about 200 locations across the United States as part of its plan to cut costs. After buying roughly half of Rite Aid's stores two years ago, Walgreens expanded its American footprint to more than 9,500 stores. The planned closures represent less than 3% of Walgreens locations. Walgreens did not provide a list of the stores that it plans to close. Parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance announced in June it would close 200 of its more than 2,400 Boots stores in the United Kingdom.
New data shows flow of billions of pain pills from drug companies
Read full article: New data shows flow of billions of pain pills from drug companiesThe Washington Post reports that 76 billion prescription pain pills from the country's biggest pharmaceutical companies poured into the US from 2006 through 2012. Kolodny said the data reflects pills that were produced by these companies, prescribed by doctors and dispensed to patients at pharmacies. An evolving epidemicBetween 2006 and 2012, the number of opioid pills originating from these companies climbed from 8.4 billion to 12.6 billion, according to The Washington Post's analysis. But the burden may not just fall on the DEA, Kolodny said. The US Food and Drug Administration, in approving new opioids, opened the gates to other drug companies seeking to recoup on their investments.
Several eye drops, ointment sold at Walgreens, Walmart recalled
Read full article: Several eye drops, ointment sold at Walgreens, Walmart recalledCertain eye drops marketed by Walmart and Walgreens have been voluntarily recalled. RIVERHEAD, N.Y. - If you use eye drops, this might be a good time to check your medicine cabinet. Several eye drops and ointments exclusively sold at Walmart and Walgreen stores have been recalled because they may not be sterile, the Food and Drug Administration said. Altaire Pharmaceuticals Inc. issued voluntary recalls for various Equate products, including for allergy relief, solutions, eye drops and gel drops -- all manufactured and labeled for Walmart. Walgreens recallFor Walgreens, Altaire has recalled several over-the-counter and prescription eye drops and ophthalmic ointments, including moisturizing eye drops, sodium chloride ophthalmic ointment, sodium chloride ophthalmic solution and lubricant eye ointment.
Eye drops, eye ointments sold at Walgreens recalled
Read full article: Eye drops, eye ointments sold at Walgreens recalledBelow is a list of products being recalled: Lubricant Eye Drops Moisturizing Walgreens item #: 801483 NDC #: 0363-0185-13 Package Size: 15 mL. Lot Number 19095, Expiration Date: 04/21, Manufacturer Ship Date: 05/14/19. Lubricant Eye Drops Moisturizing Twin Pack Walgreens item #: 801477 NDC #: 0363-0185-49 Package Size: 2 x 15 mL. Sodium Chloride Ophthalmic Solution, 5% Hypertonicity Eye Drops Walgreens item #: 801402 NDC #: 0363-0193-13 Package Size: 15 mL. (Two Lot Numbers) (1) Lot Number 19105, Expiration Date: 04/22, Manufacturer Ship Date: 05/24/19 and (2) Lot Number 19050, Expiration Date: 02/22, Manufacturer Ship Date: 05/23/19.
You now have to be 21 to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes at Walmart
Read full article: You now have to be 21 to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes at WalmartNEW YORK - Beginning July 1st, you will have to be 21 to buy tobacco products and e-cigarettes at Walmart in all its U.S. stores in an effort to combat tobacco sales to minors. The retailer will also stop selling solutions and pods for e-cigarettes that are flavored like fruit or desserts. Walmart said the new rules will take effect July 1, and will also include its Sam's Club warehouse stores. Previously, its minimum purchase age was 18, aside from a number of states where the law required a minimum purchase age of 21. In April, drugstore operator Walgreens also said it would increase the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21 after the Food and Drug Administration accused it of repeatedly selling them to minors.
Retailers among 2019's worst stocks
Read full article: Retailers among 2019's worst stocksSpencer Platt/Getty Images(CNN) - Looking for more proof of just how hard it is for traditional retailers to compete in a world that's increasingly dominated by Amazon? Nordstrom and Gap are the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500 so far this year. Several other big brick-and-mortar retailers are among the market's biggest losers of the first half of 2019. All of those companies have recorded sluggish sales and profits as consumers increasingly shop online. And Home Depot, which faces less competition from Amazon and online shopping in general, is up more than 20%.
New laws impact vegetable gardens, opioid crisis, street racing
Read full article: New laws impact vegetable gardens, opioid crisis, street racingNews Service of FloridaTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Vegetable gardens, opioid abuse and street racing are among the topics of several bills Republican Gov. One of the measures will help Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody sue drug makers and pharmacies the state claims contributed to the opioid addiction epidemic. Those who helped fuel this man-made crisis must be held accountable and this new law will help us do that," Moody said in a news release. Another bill signed by DeSantis will require the state Department of Health to create a pamphlet discussing alternatives to opioids for pain treatment. And another bill will make it easier for police to charge people with drag racing on city streets.
Man arrested in 2016 Walgreens robbery
Read full article: Man arrested in 2016 Walgreens robberyMACCLENNY, Fla. – A man was arrested in connection with a 2016 robbery at the Walgreens in Macclenny, the Baker County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday. Brad Curtis Stewart, 23, of Sanderson, was being held in the Baker County jail on $250,000 as of Wednesday. On June 11, 2016, according to the Sheriff's Office, two masked people went into the Walgreens on South Sixth Street and demanded money from the store clerk. Over the last month, detectives with the Sheriff's Office began to review the previously closed case and examine the evidence. The Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing and more information will be released as the case develops.
Man arrested in armed robbery at Palm Coast Walgreens
Read full article: Man arrested in armed robbery at Palm Coast WalgreensPALM COAST, Fla. – A Bunnell man was arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a Palm Coast Walgreens Tuesday, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said. Matthew Green, 28, faces charges of armed robbery, grand theft of a firearm and grand theft. According to the Sheriff's Office, Green went to the Walgreens on Palm Coast Parkway about 6 a.m. and made verbal threats, pointing a brown handgun at the pharmacist. Deputies said they then tracked Green to his home and arrested him just before 2 p.m. Tuesday. Green was booked into the Flagler County Jail.