HEALTH

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT It has been coined "The Oprah Effect" and it is the notion that if you're lucky enough to get a thumbs up by Oprah on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," her viewers will heed her call and run -- not walk -- to buy your product or services. Walgreens and its Take Care Clinic business are among the latest to be graced with the icon's million-dollar touch.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT It matters most what big healthcare payers think of pharmacy and its role in health care. Perdue Farms has 22,000 employees, and operates more than 15 employee health-and-wellness centers. And chief medical officer Roger Merrill believes in pharmacists. He says they know more about drugs than he does.

(THE NEWS: NACDS names Roger Merrill 'Pharmacy Great Communicator.' For the full story, click here)