NACDS Regional Chain Conference emphasizes industry’s resolve to advocate, innovate amid change
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is showcasing its vision and determination to leverage pharmacies to advance all Americans. That theme of NACDS leaders resonated strongly at Monday’s opening session of the 2025 NACDS Regional Chain Conference.
The 2025 NACDS Regional Chain Conference Chair Angie Nelson, senior vice president of pharmacy at Hy-Vee, showcased her company as an example of the community-focused and forward-leaning culture of regional chains. She described Hy-Vee’s focus on “making lives easier, healthier, and happier” and its integrated approach to the pharmacy, the total store, and Hy-Vee Healthcare offerings.
Nelson emphasized the importance of “service, accessibility, affordability, and convenience,” and that at Hy-Vee “we are always focused on improving healthcare access for rural and underserved areas across our footprint.”
[Read more: NACDS CEO reiterates association’s fight against PBMs, makes push for provider status]
Nelson also walked attendees through Hy-Vee’s strategic response to challenges facing pharmacies across the nation. In comments valuable for retailers and supplier partners, she emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration.
Nelson also cited Hy-Vee’s public policy advocacy to enhance patients’ access to pharmacist-provided services – calling this important for customers and for Hy-Vee pharmacy team members.
Nelson described Food is Medicine programs as a strong and emerging focus, consistent with the company’s commitment to “supporting patients on their health journey.”
NACDS Chair Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart, lauded the “collaboration and ideation” that define NACDS meetings and conferences. He also contributed directly to that aura by bringing to the stage Ralph Clare, senior vice president, health and wellness merchandising at Walmart, for a compelling “fireside chat” from the blended perspective of pharmacy and consumer products.
In a discussion of importance for chains and suppliers alike—and entirely consistent with the Conference theme of “Side By Side”—Host and Clare addressed the integrated approach to treating the whole person; creating a valuable and convenient experience for customers; mutual success of the pharmacy team and consumer-product goods team; boosting the value of physical, community store locations given online shopping and delivery dynamics; and trends in consumables and the ability of pharmacy to complement them.
The fireside chat reinforced vividly Host’s opening remarks that drew on his interactions with the membership as NACDS chair. Host said, “One thing that has become very clear to me over the past year is that pharmacy is having a moment, and that moment is being driven by two realizations: pharmacies are the building blocks of convenience, and pharmacists are the building blocks of trust. Combined we are building a deeper and stronger value proposition for customer and patient loyalty at the intersection that exists between health and retail.”
Citing the industry’s legacy and looking to the future, he said, “In a way, I think pharmacies were the first to bring together health and retail. Our industry has a foundational advantage in this space, but we must continue to build upon that.”
[Read more: NACDS highlights CDC study that underscores crucial role of pharmacy]
Host cited related examples of continuing efforts within Walmart and across the industry. He noted the evolution of pharmacist-provided services as being important to establish “a fast track to loyalty within the communities we serve.”
He also emphasized the importance of NACDS’ advocacy on priority issues—including pharmacy benefit manager reform and advancing pharmacy services—and of the “ambitious public health initiative” that is the NACDS Nourish My Health national education campaign to improve nutrition and reduce disease.
NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson detailed strategic perspectives and the Association’s proactive advocacy, an especially timely Inauguration Day conversation. Anderson delivered strong substance, mapping out NACDS’ recommendations to the Trump Administration—“Four Wins to Make America Healthy Again.” He also paired his remarks with a vigorous and far-reaching discussion that he moderated for the Conference—“The Future of Health and Pharmacy Policy in the Second Trump Administration”—which now is available on-demand.
[Read more: Healthcare industry celebrates, honors NACDS’ 90th anniversary, retail pharmacies]
Anderson described two themes to frame the discussion of the Presidential transition and the content of the Conference.
Anderson explained, “The first theme is proximity to the people. Many people say that Donald Trump won the election because of the sense that he was listening to Americans about issues that matter to them. Pocketbook issues. Crime issues. Healthcare issues. Populist issues.”
Anderson also said this reality runs in stark contrast to “big-ness—and lack of connection with the needs of Americans” demonstrated by vertically integrated healthcare giants “seen as serving their own bottom lines.”
“Now, think about pharmacies,” Anderson said, making the case that pharmacies can thrive as solutions in the current political environment given that they provide “localized healthcare, married with clinical expertise, married with proven capabilities, married with consumer acceptance.”
Anderson urged, “Think about everything we have talked about—we’re within five miles of 90% of Americans and polls show pharmacies as the most accessible healthcare destinations and among the most trusted.”
Anderson’s second theme is that “while ‘bigness’ may be ‘out,’ it could be that ‘big change’ is ‘in.’”
Anderson explained, “I’ve been part of these meetings for 18 years now, and people have said time after time that we need comprehensive change in healthcare. They’ve said we need to root out the problems, and create a more patient-focused system that is viable for providers…and that focuses more on health-care than on sick-care.”
Noting the focus of the incoming administration on nutrition, chronic disease prevention and large-scale change, and noting the comprehensive NACDS Health and Wellness Innovation Initiative—including Food is Medicine—he said, “In this way, too, it could be that voters, and their leaders, and the vision of pharmacy and NACDS, could find new levels of alignment.”
Anderson concluded his remarks with a review of PBM reform victories at the state level—including 24 states enacting 33 PBM reform laws in 2024, for 74 policy changes aligned with NACDS priorities. Altogether, states have enacted 164 new laws in four years. He also provided a detailed assessment of the environment for Congressional passage of PBM reform in the current 119th Congress.
NACDS also urges member company representatives to register now for the 2025 NACDS Annual Meeting, to be held April 26-29 in Palm Beach, Fla., and the 2025 NACDS Total Store Expo, to be held Aug. 23-25 in San Diego, Calif.