CVS

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — The increased availability of generics combined with CVS Caremark's generic dispensing rate of 77.4% helped reduce spending on traditional medications by 3.6% for the company's commercial clients, according to its newly released annual insights report, which reviews drug trend and highlights key issues in pharmacy care.

CVS Caremark's GDR is the result of two elements.  First, 2012 marked a high point in the flood of generic launches, with the estimated market value of brands that lost their patents in 2012 exceeding $35 billion. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A MinuteClinic location at a CVS store in downtown Columbia, S.C., got a visit from one of the state's top health officials recently.

NEW YORK — Retail-based health clinics, urgent care clinics, telehealth and traditional physicians may be increasingly competing to serve the healthcare needs of Americans but the real winner is the patient, suggests a recent article in The Economist.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, a private foundation created by CVS Caremark, has announced that $2.6 million in grants has been awarded to 66 nonprofit organizations across the country.

The new grant recipients were chosen through the 2012 CVS Caremark Charitable Trust's annual grant cycle. The awarded grants align with CVS Caremark's purpose of helping people on their path to better health and focus on initiatives supporting access to health care and children's programming.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and SAN DIEGO — Retail-based clinic operator MinuteClinic, a division of CVS Caremark, and Southern California healthcare system Sharp HealthCare have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to healthcare services throughout San Diego County.

MinuteClinic currently has 10 walk-in medical clinics in San Diego County.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark elected on March 29 former Johnson & Johnson CEO William Weldon to serve on its board of directors, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Weldon is the former chairman of the board and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, having served in those positions from 2002 until his retirement as CEO in April 2012 and his retirement from the board in December 2012. Weldon previously served in a variety of senior executive positions during his 41-year career with J&J.

Google has officially unveiled its testing program for Google Shopping Express, its new online delivery service in the San Francisco Bay area, signing up with retailers like Target, Walgreens and Raley's to allow customers to receive items directly from store shelves at their homes within a day.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy has launched a first-of-its-kind interactive app, delivering a virtual 3-D digital drug store experience for customers using Apple iPads.