INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

NEW YORK — Discount stores will continue to dominate as the destination for the majority of consumers’ back-to-school dollars this year, according to a survey by Accenture on parents’ back-to-school shopping plans.

The majority of parents (59%) will spend between $100 and $500 on back-to-school shopping this year, with 21% of consumers saying they plan to spend more than $500 this year. That’s down from 28% in 2010, indicating a decline in spending on the big-ticket items for school.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Just as National Convenient Care Clinic Week gets under way and healthcare professionals gather in Orlando, Fla., to attend the fourth annual Retail Clinician Education Congress, the convenient care industry continues to evolve as MinuteClinic seals the deal on yet another clinical collaboration and a newcomer prepares to open its doors in Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON — Pharmacy benefit management tools helped slow prescription drug spending growth from 5.3% in 2009 to 3.5% in 2010, according to a new study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

One PBM tool that helped was tiered co-pays that shifted medication use toward lower-cost generic drugs.

NEW YORK — Researchers have found a human antibody that may be able to protect against all influenza A viruses, according to published reports.

The antibody, FI6, could lead to the development of a universal flu vaccine because it targets groups 1 and 2, the two main groups of the influenza A virus. Previously, researchers had not been able to find an antibody that worked against both groups.

The researchers have found the antibody effective in mice and ferrets, according to the reports.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Almost half of all smokers try and fail to quit their addiction to nicotine products each year, according to a study released Wednesday.

A contributing factor to the high rate of failed quit attempts is the low use of nicotine-replacement therapies, the study found. That may be because of misperceptions around the health effects of NRTs.

WASHINGTON — AARP magazine last week identified the top 10 retirement destinations, which potentially could be growth opportunities for pharmacy, that offer comfortably affordable lifestyles for seniors.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Total sales of prestige makeup experienced healthy gains during the first five months of the year, thanks to trends in dramatic eyes, soft lip shades and bold and bright nail colors, according to new beauty market research by NPD.

Year-to-date — January through May — total prestige makeup sales increased by 9% to $1.4 billion in U.S. department stores, according to the market research company. For the month of May alone, makeup posted its strongest dollar performance (+11%) in the last three years.

NEW YORK — Inflation-related concerns will prompt back-to-school shoppers to utilize certain shopping tactics, including smartphone and social network use, to save this year.