Pharmacy Technology

WASHINGTON The recently installed head of the federal Medicare program is pushing hard to promote new and more cost-effective ways to treat patients and improve the nation’s health scorecard.

OAKLAND, Calif. Green Works is promoting healthy lifestyles in line with International Walk to School Month.

Green Works, a maker of naturally derived cleaners, has partnered with the Sierra Club, the oldest and largest environmental organization in the United States, for the Walk to School Challenge. Together, the groups hope to encourage people to use walking and bicycling to school as a simple way to spend more time outdoors and live a more natural lifestyle. Green Works is promoting the Walk to School Challenge on its Facebook fan page and company website.

PITTSBURGH GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Tuesday named Stacy Wallace to the newly created role of VP customer marketing and 360° Insights.

Under Wallace’s direction, the customer marketing and 360° Insights team will continue the development and execution of category visions and strategies in the area of health and wellness and in the creation of insight-led innovative and fully evaluated shopper marketing programs, the company stated.

NEEDHAM, Mass. Pfizer is pulling out of a development deal for a potential brain cancer drug, saying it is not a strategic priority, according to the drug's developer Celldex Therapeutics.

Celldex said it will regain full worldwide rights to develop and sell rindopepimut from Pfizer. The drug candidate also is called CDX-110. In May, the company reported positive results form a midstage study on the drug.

Celldex will regain rights to the drug candidate on Nov. 1.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson and National Community Pharmacists Association acting EVP and CEO Douglas Hoey issued a statement praising the proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that would withdraw existing provisions of the Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement formula under the average manufacturer price model.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The announcement by P&G that it is looking to further expand its Future Friendly platform in 2011 to now target a reduction in packaging materials, as well as truck and fuel usage, is important on several different levels. Not only does the next phase of the program further solidify P&G's lead role as a consumer packaged goods company that is making a significant impact to better the environment, but, at the retailer level, P&G is expecting to see a boost in powder detergent sales.