Chain Drug Review, March 16th, 2020

Vol 42 No 4 www chaindrugreview com March 16 2020 Chains do their part to ease coronavirus worries NEW YORK National and regional pharmacy chains were doing what they could to ease the coronavirus fears of shoppers WOONSOCKET R I The National Kidney Foundation NKF and CVS Kidney Care a CVS Health company are partnering on a national campaign to raise awareness of kidney disease which affects some 37 million people in the U S In addition one in every three American adults or 33 are at risk for developing this lifethreatening disease Kidney disease often has no symptoms until the kidneys fail so most people with the illness dont know they have it until it has progressed to critical stages where transplant or dialysis is needed to survive NKF and CVS Kidney Care want to change those statistics Throughout the month of March the two organizations will join forces to promote awareness especially to those who may have risk factors encouraging individuals to learn more get tested and talk to their doctors The five greatest risk factors of the disease are High blood pressure Heart disease Diabetes Obesity Family history of kidney disease CVS Kidney Care and NKF share the same goals to enable better care and help patients with kidney disease live longer and better lives said Dr Bruce Culleton chief medical officer for CVS Kidney Care Through CVS Healths local and employees as the contagion spread Seattle based Bartell Drugs shipped more over the counter products to stores early this month after experiencing high demand due to concerns related to COVID 19 Bartells has two stores in the suburb of Kirkland where a nursing home was hit hard by the coronavirus The most sought after items included O T C medications hand sanitizers disinfectants and antibacterial sprays No antiviral medication is currently recommended as a treatment We are shipping thousands of units to the stores said senior vice president of operations Ken Mahoney Some national suppliers have been unable to keep up with the demand Although we cannot guarantee we will be in stock on everything we are looking for alternatives when possible We recommend patients consider a flu shot if they have not been vaccinated against the flu said Bartells chief executive officer Kathi Lentzsch This will limit the number of Bartells stores boosted stocks of O T Cs and hand sanitizers flu cases in our area and enable health care providers to be available to those in need CVS Health has engaged with public health experts and organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC to spread awareness of emergency preparedness efforts Through its frequently updated COVID 19 resource center the company is providing the latest information on precautions consumers should take to help prevent the spread of COVID 19 and who should seek medical attention The company also has taken several steps to support Aetna members in response to the outbreak Supporting the health and well being of our members and removing barriers to care are among our key areas of focus as we navigate the spread of COVID 19 said Aetna presi More awareness may help lead to early diagnosis Continued on page 6 Virus straining retail supply chain NEW YORK With more than 90000 people across the globe infected with coronavirus including Bruce Culleton Continued on page 6 Continued on page 4 here in the U S public health officials are now operating in uncharted territory says the head of the World Health Organization The latest figures show that deaths from the virus have occurred outside of mainland China where the virus originated in other countries around the world including the U S As the virus continues to spread several countries have put measures in place aimed at keeping the disease at bay such as closing schools cancelling events and encouraging businesses to prepare for the outbreak including having employees work from home One area in particular that the outbreak has already affected is retail In some respects the effect has been positive with demand for medical and health safety essentials rising significantly since the virus was first detected In the U S based on Nielsen data for the four weeks ended February 22 retailers saw 319 in dollar growth and 378 in unit growth for medical masks compared to the same four weeks in 2019 Sales of hand sanitizers were up 73 during the same four week period The coronavirus is putting a serious strain on the retail sector as well especially in terms of the supply chain As fear of a pandemic grows consumers are actively stockpiling emergency supplies such as basic foodstuffs including canned goods flour sugar and bottled water Concerns are having a ripple effect into nonfood essentials as well In the U S sales of supplements fruit snacks and first aid kits are spiking According to Nielsen countries around the world such as China Italy and the U S are experiencing major hoarding of Kidney disease focus of CVS collaboration presence in nearly 10000 communities across the country we can help more people understand and manage this disease and ultimately decide on the treatment that is aligned to their goals and lifestyle CVS Kidney Care and NKF will promote a digital quiz which can be found at Minute For Your Kidneys org The quiz part of the Are You the 33 public awareness campaign will help people understand their level of risk and what to do next CVS Kidney Care is also launching an educational site in the near future to help those with kidney disease learn about their condition and make healthy choices every day We are grateful for this partnership with CVS said Kevin Longino chief executive officer of NKF and a kidney transplant recipient Because of these efforts critical information will get into the hands of people who desperately need it Making patients aware of their risk may help lead to early diagnosis which can help prevent or stave off complications or possible kidney failure CVS Health launched CVS Kidney Care to address the needs of patients at all points Up to 300 million protective face masks might be needed in the U S Azar said dent Karen Lynch Thats why were providing COVID 19 diagnostic testing and telemedicine visits with no out of pocket costs or cost sharing for Aetna members along with a number of other programs and offerings that reinforce our commitment to delivering timely and seamless access to care Through Aetnas Healing Better program members who are diagnosed with COVID 19 will receive a care package containing CVS O T Cs to help relieve symptoms The package also includes personal and household cleaning supplies Through existing care management programs Aetna will proactively reach out to members most at risk for COVID 19 Care managers will walk members through what they can do to protect themselves where to get information on the virus and where to go to get tested Aetna also is extending its Medicare Advantage virtual evaluation and monitoring visit benefit to all Aetna Comemergency supplies As the rush to stock up continues Nielsen expects it to have an immediate impact on supply chains for manufacturers of these emergency and essential goods Stocks of hand sanitizers and medical face masks have already dried up in some markets Nielsen points out with no clear indication of when stocks will be replenished In Malaysia sales of hand sanitizers hit almost 237176 in the week ended January 26 which is more than 800 above the weekly average In the U S Department of Health and Human Services HHS Secretary Alex Azar told lawmakers that as many as 300 million protective face masks might be needed in the U S 270 million more than the current supply Nielsen measures of San Francisco drug stores indicate that year to date sales of medical face masks through the week ended February 22 have already exceeded those of the entire 2019 year demonstrating the strain high demand has put on supply chains