Chain Drugstore Daily @ NACDS AM • April 25, 2023

CHAIN DRUGSTORE Daily PROUD

ASSOCIATE MEMBER FOR OVER A DECADE

PALM BEACH APR. 25, 2023 Oser Communications Group

Weleda Acts in Harmony with People and Nature

Kroger Health Supports Everyday Wellness

Visory Health: Rx Savings Built for You

For over 100 years, Weleda has connected people to nature through plant-rich, NATRUE certified natural skin care, baby care and personal care products. A pioneer in biodynamic farming since 1921, Weleda’s ethical business principles have been recognized with numerous awards globally including the German Sustainability Award, the Swiss Ethics Award and the Green Brand Award 2020. The brand also received B Corp certification in 2021.

An interview with Colleen Lindholz, President, Kroger Health.

An interview with Susan L. Lang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Visory Health.

CDD: What sets Kroger Health apart from other retail healthcare organizations?

CDD: What made you decide to create Visory Health?

CL: Kroger Health’s approach to care includes nurse practitioners, pharmacists and dietitians. Our team, coupled with the healthy food choices that Kroger grocery stores offer make a wide range of healthcare options available under one roof. By the nature of who we are and what

SL: About 20 years ago, I went from being a hospital administrator to a patient. I was hit head on by a drunk driver on my way to a hospital board meeting. Experiencing the complexities of healthcare as a patient convinced me there has to be a better way.

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Neighbourhood Pharmacies a Trusted Voice in Canada

Amplify Your Reach with GoodRx

An interview with Sandra Hanna, RPh., Chief Executive Officer, Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada.

GoodRx has a range of digital solutions that empower you to engage patients and providers during the most important moments of the healthcare journey.

Find out more about partnering with GoodRx.

Add Fingerprint Functionality to Your Product Line

Table #618

CDD: Neighbourhood Pharmacies hosts some of the most well-attended events in the pharmacy sector. What attracts participants to come back year after year?

SH: Members and partners tell us our events are among their favorites in the country!

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For more information, email nacds@goodrx.com or stop

by Table #618.

By Jeff Brown, Vice President of Sales, SecuGen Corporation What is the U20-ASFX? The U20-ASFX is an ultracompact standalone fingerprint sensor module.

It is designed for OEMs and developers to embed into a wide variety of hardware products that require fingerprint biometric functionality.

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CHAIN DRUGSTORE Daily PROUD NACDS ASSOCIATE MEMBER FOR OVER A DECADE Kimberly Oser Publisher Tara Neal President Abeer Abiaad Vice President Anthony Socci President of Sales Yasmine Brown Production Manager/Art Director AJ Flick Senior Editor

Pharmacists Play an Important Role in Injection Education As diabetes continues to grow in prevalence around the world, more and more people are discovering that the daily management of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes often requires a complex series of actions, techniques and decisions that can impact the effectiveness of one’s treatment plan. What’s more, the care continuum continues to evolve, making it possible – perhaps even likely – that many people with diabetes are using

outmoded or incorrect injection therapy techniques without even realizing there may be a better way.

It's critical for me and my fellow endocrinologists to educate people about injection therapy when they are first diagnosed; during follow-up appointments, we should check-in to ensure that our patients are continuing Continued on Page 38

Bausch + Lomb’s Enhanced Formula Features Better Absorbing Ingredients Bausch + Lomb has launched an enhanced version of its PreserVision® AREDS 2 Formula mini gel formula. The enhanced version now includes OCUSorb™ technology. Offering a proprietary composition of lutein and zeaxanthin, OCUSorb has been clinically shown to provide superior absorption Continued on Page 38

JoEllen Lowry Editor Heather Albrecht Customer Service Marcos Morhaim Senior Account Manager Riley Ussery Account Manager Enrico Cecchi European Sales Chain Drugstore Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2023 All rights reserved.

Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy www.osercommunicationsgroup.com

Lee M. Oser Founder

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Circana: Beauty Consumers are Shopping and Trading Up Amassing $30 billion in annual retail sales in the United States, beauty product sales at mass merchants – including drugstores, grocery and others – accounted for the majority of sales across most beauty categories last year.

However, the $27 billion prestige beauty business – including department and beauty specialty stores – has been the growth engine for the industry, with sales revenue and unit sales growing faster in prestige than mass in 2022, while also experiencing the softest price increases, according to Circana (formerly IRI and NPD).

“For many consumers, beauty is indispensable,” said Larissa Jensen, Beauty Industry Advisor at Circana. “In fact, among beauty shoppers who reported reducing their overall spending due to inflation, 7 out of 10 said they were not cutting back on their beauty spending. On the contrary, consumers have shown us that when economic sentiment gets shaky, they turn to prestige beauty products for an emotional lift. This ‘treat mindset’ is a big piece of what ties the complete beauty industry picture together.”

Category-level contrasts are very telling in terms of how consumers are shopping across mass and prestige retailers. For example, shampoo, conditioner and hair color sold in mass stores were among the top overall beauty categories to experience unit sales declines in 2022, even as hair care was the fastest-growing category in the prestige market. “Consumers are trading up when it comes to their hair care

because they are seeing the value in investing in prestige brands,” said Jensen.

Consumers are also trading up when it comes to their fragrance purchases, by investing more heavily in high-end, luxury fragrances. In 2022, sales revenue for fragrances priced over $150 grew by 16 percent, versus 2021.

“Part of the investment stems from consumers using scent as a form of self-care to satisfy their expanded wellness needs,” said Jensen. Among fragrance wearers, 71 percent look for a scent that lifts their mood and 50 percent are interested in fragrances they link to a physical or wellness benefit, such as destress, focus and energize.

Skincare was the mass market’s best performing category in 2022, based on unit sales growth.

Furthermore, facial skincare sold in the mass market was the top-performing segment across the entire beauty industry, based on sales revenue gains.

Skincare, however, was the anomaly on the prestige beauty side, as it was the only category to experience flat sales in higher price-points in 2022. “We are observing a democratization of the skincare market, as more consumers decide that they can actually spend less to get the desired results – whether that means purchasing lower price-points within the prestige stores or turning to dermatologist-recommended brands in mass outlets,” said Jensen.

Visit www.circana.com for more information or stop by Space #410.

RedCap: A Key Step in 5G for New Devices and Services The inclusion of 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) in the 3GPP Release 17 specification is good news for end users, IoT device manufacturers and mobile carriers. RedCap enables a new realm of 5G

IoT devices and related application and service opportunities that can be expected in the next few years.

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Miracle Headache Relief Wrap from Ontel

By Craig Jordan, Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Solutions, Ontel Products Miracle™ headache relief wrap, the ultrasoothing, gel compression wrap that helps relieve headache symptoms, stress, tension and more! Simply slide on Miracle headache relief wrap and wrap your head in 360 degrees of compression for quick, targeted comfort. Miracle headache relief wrap is soft, flexible and designed for a perfect fit. The secret is the triple-comfort design that starts with a compression layer, then gel, and

Azelastine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray 0.1% (137 mcg per spray) is Aurobindo’s first product launch in the United States utilizing a pump nasal spray delivery system. The development and launch of Azelastine demonstrates Aurobindo’s strategic push into alternative delivery systems, which in addition to pump nasal sprays include metered dose inhalers, prefilled syringes and transdermal patches.

This is the company’s first nasal spray, indicated for the treatment of the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in adults and pediatric patients 5 years and older and for the treatment of the symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis in adults and adolescent patients 12 years and older.

Azelastine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray 0.1% is an AB-rated generic equivalent to the reference listed drug ASTELIN® by Mylan Specialty LP. Azelastine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray 0.1% has an estimated market value of $59 million for the 12 months ending December 2023, as per IQVIA. The company recently received FDA approval for Diclofenac Sodium Topical Solution USP, 2%. This is Aurobindo’s first product launch in the

finally sealed in soft, light-blocking stretch-cloth that gently hugs and soothes. Miracle headache relief wrap helps relieve symptoms associated with headaches, stress, tension, discomfort, puffiness and more. Best of all, it can be used cold or hot. Can be worn two ways.

Great for travel, as it is lightweight and compact to ensure our luggage and carry-ons won’t be compromised by overly heavy or bulky devices. Miracle headache relief is unisex and one size.

For more information, www.ontel.com.

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United States that is a topical product.

Additionally, it is the first ANDA approval developed by the team in the AuroLife Unit, which is from its 40,000 square foot facility in North Carolina. In the North Carolina facility, meter dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers and transdermal patches are being developed by the specialty research and development lab site, which houses over 50 scientists, including highly experienced pMDI aerosol and transdermal R&D teams.

Diclofenac Sodium Topical Solution is indicated for the treatment of the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee(s). Diclofenac Sodium Topical Solution is an AB-rated generic equivalent to the reference listed drug Pennsaid ® of Horizon Therapeutics.

Diclofenac Sodium Topical Solution USP, 2%. has an estimated market value of $409 million for the 12 months ending December 2023, as per IQVIA. For more information, go to www.aurobindousa.com or stop by Space #444.

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Remote Integration (REMI) for Parabolic Microphones Remote Integration (REMI) has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Today, theE technology allows cameras to be effectively operated from a remote studio over IP with negligible latency.

Parabolic microphones are a staple in live sports productions, capturing sounds of the on-field action from afar.

Can the same REMI technology be used to allow a remote operator to follow the action with a parabolic microphone?

Yes. Klover Products is working with Remote Camera Technology (RCT) to jointly develop this exact application.

Klover Products manufactures the popular Klover MiK parabolic microphones that are used extensively for live sports broadcasts. RCT manufactures a unique remote operator system that can be mounted on any fluid head. There are no mechanical connections to the fluid head such as pulleys, encoders, etc. This makes the system incredibly versatile and compatible with expensive heads already owned by broadcasters. In addition, the movement response is exceptionally fast over IP.

The innovative RCT Fluid Remote, combined with the RCT Robotic Head, allows a cameraman at a remote site to operate the television camera as if he were next to the action. In the same way, a Klover MiK parabolic microphone can be installed on the robotic head, instead of the camera, allowing an operator at a remote site to operate the parabolic mic as if they were at the event. The modular design of the Klover MiK makes it ideal for new applications such as this.

In many cases, however, it may be more efficient to have the movement of the parabolic mic follow the motion of the camera as both are following the action on the field. A parabolic microphone installed on a second robotic head can be synched to the motion of the camera motion, thereby allowing it to follow the movement of the camera. Both heads can be mounted next to the field of play or even on a side-line cart.

For more information, go to www.klover mik.com, email sales@kloverproduct s.com, or call 608.371.5660.

Highest Bioavailability Anti-Aging and Longevity Supplements Nature’s Fusions Nutri provides the highest bioavailable, most absorbable anti-aging and longevity products in the world. The company’s newest launches include a patent pending Neuro-NAC (20 times more bioavailable than NAC), GlyNACET and Ageless NMN. Nature’s Fusions also offers an ultrahigh bioavailable resveratrol supple-

ment (Resverperine) and widely desired supplements such as Potassium Iodide (Radiation Protection Tablets). The company specializes in products that are scientifically proven to be 2-600 times more bioavailable than any competitor on the market.

With in-house research and development, sourcing and manufacturing, its facility handles all projects from beginning to end to ensure high quality products and full transparency.

You may have heard of NAC (N Acetyl Cysteine). NAC is a crowd favorite that has been flying off the shelves, helping people improve liver health, heart health and respiratory health.* It also acts as a powerful antioxidant and immune system support to protect and jumpstart healthy detox activity.* Unfortunately, NAC only has a bioavailability of 6 percent. Neuro-NAC (NAC Ethyl Ester), on the other hand, has been scientifically proven to be 70-80 percent bioavailable, making it 20 times more efficient than NAC! While NAC is tied up in litigation for being recognized by the FDA as a drug, Neuro-NAC is classified as a dietary supplement. Additionally, while the body hoards NAC in the liver

and gut, Neuro-NAC extends its reach to the entire body, even crossing the blood-brain barrier to protect retinal pigment cells (eyes) from age-related diseases. This patent pending NAC supplement is the only NAC product scientifically proven to increase glutathione intracellularly.* Looking for the perfect combina-

tion of NAC and Glycine? Nature’s Fusions Nutri will do you one better with the higher bioavailable GlyNACET. GlyNACET is NAC ethyl ester (that more bioavailable and efficient version of NAC described above) paired with

Glycine. Glycine is another ingredient needed for glutathione synthesis. While your body naturally produces glycine, this added amount increases the ability to produce more glutathione.* In order to target and increase NAD+ levels, Nature’s Fusions Nutri created Ageless NMN (Nicotinamide Mono-Nucleotide with Phytosomal Quercetin). NMN has been clinically shown to increase NAD+ by 30-40 percent.

Quercetin has been shown to increase the body’s relative pool of NAD+ by 40 percent.

However, Quercetin Phytosome is 30 times more absorbable than Quercetin.

Nature’s Fusions’ cutting-edge combination of NMN and Quercetin Phytosome not only increases NAD+ by as much as its competitors, but also makes that NAD+ more efficient in supporting healthy cellular and tissue repair.* *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

For more information, www.naturesfusions.com.

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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Chain Drugstore Daily

The ACE-Flex Series: Taking Automated Captioning to the Next Level

By Kathryn Armelie, Marketing Manager, Link Electronics Link Electronics unveils the newest addition to the ACE Series product line, the ACE-Flex Series. These Automated Captioning Engines use the latest in ASR technology to convert speech into text and caption data for up to four channels of audio simultaneously.

Using a cutting-edge neural network linguistics algorithm, the ACE-Flex Series converts speech to text and sends out fully compliant captioning data, through traditional broadcast or OTT streaming. This system is designed for customizable caption displays, and compatible with most closed caption-

ing encoders or devices. The ACE-Flex Series is ideal for high-volume, multichannel closed captioning environments, including broadcast hubs, government entities with concurrent meetings, corporations captioning simultaneous events, and universities captioning various live content or any situation where up to four channels of audio require captioning at the same time.

More than 20 language packages are included, with the ability to translate and caption in multiple languages for more robust accessibility. The ACEFlex Series has a web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) that contains an event scheduler and EPG functionality, allowing for different audio inputs and

Interstate Health Announces First Two Clinics in Georgia and Tennessee Interstate Health announced the locations of its first two clinics in Port Wentworth, Georgia, and Cookeville, Tennessee. The Port Wentworth location broke ground on March 31 and is anticipated to open later this year. The Cookeville clinic is the current Occupational Health Center, LLC and joined Interstate Health effective April 1. Both locations are strategically situated in areas frequented by commercial drivers, aligning with the company’s mission to make healthcare more accessible to the transportation industry, local communities and interstate travelers.

“The groundbreaking of our first greenfield clinic coupled with the addition of Occupational Health Center represents a meaningful milestone in our efforts to improve the health and lives of 3.5 million commercial truck drivers nationwide,” said Jeff Seraphine, Chief Executive Officer of Interstate Health.

“We anticipate that these two locations alone will serve thousands of drivers annually and are eager to watch that impact grow as we work to build a nationwide network of clinics over the next few years.”

Each location will initially offer primary and urgent care services for commercial drivers and the community, as well as specialized physicals required by the Department of Transportation for

commercial truck drivers, drug screens and other pre-employment medical care and x-ray services. Future services Interstate Health aims to offer include laboratory, pharmacy and sleep studies, among others. The company also has a master technology plan to integrate with trucking company platforms and effectively utilize data to enhance continuity of care and patient convenience.

Interstate Health formally launched in November 2022 with the announcement of its successful pre-seed funding.

Since then, the company has been working with its advisors, who include veteran transportation, healthcare and technology executives, to continue raising capital and bringing the shared vision of increased access, improved health, and enhanced safety and productivity for commercial truck drivers to life.

Port Wentworth, Georgia Location The 2,100 square-foot Port Wentworth, Georgia location is being built by Gaylor Contracting and designed by AEI on the Port Fuel Center property located on the corner of Grange Road and Georgia Highway 21 near Interstate 95.

The land has been leased from Port Fuel Center. The clinic represents a more than $1 million investment in the community and is expected to generate

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caption outputs on demand, with selectable on-screen caption location and position. The unit comes preset with standard audio and caption data outputs for Link Electronics encoders, making setup for the device quick and efficient.

The ACE-Flex Series is a server-based solution housed in your own studio. As an on-premises solution, it is free from the requirements of connecting to the Internet, allowing for a secure captioning option. The unit accepts up to four simultaneous inputs of SDI/HD-SDI with embedded audio, balanced analog audio, or balanced AES. Once a captioning task is complete, the ACE-Flex Series can create the files of your choice, such as a caption file, subtitle file, time stamped transcript, a Word document, plain text document or a variety of other file types. The ACE-Flex Series is also available in a convenient bundle to include SCE-492 caption encoders to create a complete automated captioning and encoding package. The ACE-Flex Series is backed by Link Electronics highly specialized engineering team, offering white glove setup and 24/7 technical support after the first year with warranty.

For more information, email sales@link electronics.com, call 417.320.3438 or go to www.linkelectronics.com. approximately 20 new jobs.

“The need for the healthcare services Interstate Health is building is glaringly apparent in both the national data and in our conversations with the customers we serve every day,” said Yash Desai, partner at Port Fuel Center.

“We’re proud to be the site for the first new clinic the company will build and are eager to watch its impact firsthand.”

Cookeville, Tennessee Location The Occupational Health Center (OHC) in Cookeville, Tennessee is a 5,300 square-foot clinic that currently offers primary care, urgent care and occupational medicine across the Upper Cumberland region. As part of Interstate Health, current OHC providers and staff will continue to serve their current patients and community, while connecting to an even broader network of impact to serve commercial truck drivers who frequent Interstate 40. Additionally, OHC founding physician, Dr. Toney Hudson, was named Chief Medical Officer for Interstate Health.

About Interstate Health Interstate Health is an innovative, technology-enabled medical services company that provides urgent care, primary care and telemedicine services along the nation’s interstate highway system. Interstate Health supports the needs of commercial truck drivers, rural residents and all travelers across the nation’s interstates. For more information, visit www.interstatehealth.com.

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Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare Leading the DME Industry

Pushing Density and Flexibility to the Limit Pharmacy operations are faced with a myriad of challenges: improving customer service, increasing productivity, maintaining security, adding new technology and bringing the operation in on budget. It’s demanding to profitably grow business any time, but particularly when the volume of dispensed prescriptions increases, and your square footage remains unchanged.

Uniweb, Inc. can help by outfitting your location with high-density, long lasting and readily configurable fixtures including: • Complete modular pharmacies • RX storage bays • Workstations • Locking units • OTC merchandising • Consult rooms • Will call and queuing Uniweb RX bay systems hold up to 50 percent more product in the same footprint over conventional shelving, generating more profit to the bottom line.

Uniweb’s clean-line wall panels, behind-the-scenes counters, cabinets, shelving and accessories are designed to be modular and come prewired with optional data and electrical lines.

Change your operation’s layout, or expand your pharmacy’s footprint with minimal administration or construction costs. Free up counter space and maximize storage for prescriptions, patient files, office supplies and equipment – without using installation specialists.

Optimize your fixtures today and futureproof your pharmacy by investing in durable, reconfigurable solutions from Uniweb.

American-made products mean shorter lead times and long-lasting products. For more than 50 years, Uniweb has been manufactured and sourced domestically. This allows the company to deliver durable products in a matter of weeks – not months.

Designed with fewer components and engineered with tight tolerances, Uniweb products will not rip or tear, are more fire resistant than traditional wood shelving and exceed stringent U.L. standards.

Uniweb will design, craft, ship and install.

Uniweb will be at TSE later this year in booth #3731.

For more information, call 800.486.4932 or visit uniwebinc.com.

Harrow Announces New $100 Million Secured Credit Facility with Oaktree Harrow, a leading U.S. eyecare pharmaceutical company, announced that it has entered into a $100 million secured credit financing agreement with funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”). The interest-only secured credit facility carries an interest rate equal to the three-month secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) plus 6.50 percent, includes flexible terms and covenants, and is expected to mature in approximately three years. A portion of the proceeds from the new facility was used to pay off indebtedness under Harrow’s existing secured loan with an affiliate of B. Riley Financial, Inc., with the remainder

to be used for future milestone payments related to a recently announced acquisition and for general corporate purposes.

In commenting on the announcement, Mark L. Baum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harrow, said, “We are pleased to enter into this credit facility, which strengthens our balance sheet and provides us the flexibility needed to pursue additional acquisitions – in alignment with our growth strategy. We are grateful for the confidence and support of Oaktree, and we look forward to working closely with them as a strong financial partner.”

“We are excited to partner with

Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare marks more than 20 years as the first durable medical equipment provider to bring its product portfolio to market through a dedicated retail division.

As a leading manufacturer of durable medical goods, the cornerstone of Drive DeVilbiss’s retail offering is an extensive product portfolio that includes mobility, bath safety, oxygen, patient room and personal care products. Its products are designed for maximum ease of use and long-term durability to ensure consumer satisfaction, and its unique retail focus means the company utilizes creative packaging solutions to ensure its products are easy to transport, store and shelve in retail outlets to help partners maximize inventory management and display opportunities.

Its fully developed retail implementation strategy moves beyond putting products on shelves to ensure those products move. The dedicated retail team works with partners to craft customized strategies that incorporate solutions including best-in-class planograms, on-shelf activation, e-commerce drop-shipping programs and private label programs.

Drive DeVilbiss continually invests in its retail partners, providing them with the tools and resources they need to grow their business and succeed in the DME market. Drive DeVilbiss has developed a comprehensive digital presence and an e-commerce platform to help its retail partners reach a broader customer base. Partners also benefit Harrow during this transformational period in its history – marked by the recent FDA approval, J-Code assignment, passthrough reimbursement status approval and upcoming launch of IHEEZO as well as their other recent product acquisitions,” said Steve DeNelsky, Managing Director, Life Sciences Lending at Oaktree. “We are enthusiastic about Harrow’s growth strategy and believe this extension of capital supports the Harrow leadership team as it continues to solidify its position as a leading U.S. eyecare pharmaceutical company.”

About Oaktree Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments, with $170 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2022. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in credit, private equity, real assets and listed equities. The firm has over 1,050 employees and offices

from access to a multi-channel marketing program that includes Nielsen-powered consumer insight research, influencer mailer program and the positioning in the nationally advertised HurryCane® brand. Pharmacies also enjoy access to a valuable continuing education program.

For more information on how Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare can help your organization maximize its retail strategy, contact Steve Diamond, Director of Retail, at stdiamond@drivemedical.com or visit www.drivemedical.com to learn more about our retail solutions.

About Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare Headquartered in Port Washington, New York, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare manufactures a complete line of medical products, including mobility products, respiratory products, beds, bariatric products, wheelchairs, sleep surfaces and pressure prevention products, self-assist products, power-operated wheelchairs, rehabilitation products, resident room equipment, personal care products and electrotherapy devices. Currently, the company has corporate offices, manufacturing facilities and distribution facilities located throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Romania, Australia, the Netherlands and India. The company markets its products to customers located throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Middle East and Asia.

For more information, visit www .drivemedical.com or stop by Space #540. in 20 cities worldwide.

About Harrow Harrow is a leading U.S. eyecare pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative ophthalmic prescription therapies that are accessible and affordable. Harrow owns U.S. commercial rights to ten FDA-approved ophthalmic pharmaceutical products.

Harrow also owns and operates ImprimisRx, the leading U.S. ophthalmic-focused pharmaceutical compounding business, which also serves as a mail-order pharmacy licensed to ship prescription medications in all 50 states. Harrow has non-controlling equity positions in Surface Ophthalmics, Inc. and Melt Pharmaceuticals, Inc., companies that began as subsidiaries of Harrow. Harrow also owns royalty rights in four late-stage drug candidates being developed by Surface and Melt.

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Chain Drugstore Daily

USPS Connect: Powering Next-Day Delivery No other organization reaches and serves the American public so visibly every day than the United States Postal Service®. Now, it’s leveraging its vast network and reach to bring businesses what consumers are demanding: fast and affordable next-day delivery.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, consumer shopping behaviors have fundamentally changed. Shipping has surged tremendously as consumers moved their purchasing online. By 2025, the e-commerce share of all retail sales is expected to grow to 23 percent, more than double its share in 2019. Rather than waiting for their lunch hour or after the kids are in bed, consumers are placing orders on their mobile devices as

they think of them, between video conference calls or while doing daily tasks.

At the same time, consumers increasingly expect their orders to be fulfilled and delivered quickly, with more than 30 percent saying they are frustrated when shipping takes too long. About 87 percent say the shipping experience directly impacts their decision to shop with a merchant again.

To compete and grow, businesses must adapt. The key is positioning the product closer to the customer so orders can be placed later in the day and still be delivered the next.

That’s why in February, USPS will begin rolling out USPS Connect, a suite of affordable package delivery solutions

Pfizer’s ZAVZPRET Migraine Nasal Spray Receives FDA Approval Pfizer Inc. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ZAVZPRET (zavegepant), the first and only calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist nasal spray for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults.

In its pivotal Phase 3 study, ZAVZPRET was statistically superior to placebo on the co-primary endpoints of pain freedom and freedom from most bothersome symptom at two hours post-dose.

The pivotal study also demonstrated pain relief as early as 15 minutes in a prespecified secondary endpoint versus placebo.

“The FDA approval of ZAVZPRET marks a significant breakthrough for people with migraine who need freedom from pain and prefer alternative options to oral medications,” said Angela

RedCap (Cont’d. from p. 6)

ifies lower data rate requirements for IoT, which significantly reduces RF design complexity for some applications. Compared to current 5G implementations, RedCap specifies lower maximum bandwidth, fewer frequency bands, fewer antennas and fewer MIMO layers and Rx chains. It does not require EN-DC support; it reduces QAM, can run half-duplex and use TDD instead of FDD, and lowers transmit power. All of these mean less design complexity, which reduces cost. Additionally, RedCap supports only standalone (SA) 5G networks, so there’s no requirement to support two active Tx chains simultaneously.

With the release of RedCap, chipsets and RF solutions targeting IoT applications from product developers like Qorvo will arrive late 2023 with commercial products likely in 2024. By then, carriers will have transitioned to the SA 5G networks necessary to support RedCap devices. 3GPP continues to enhance the standard and define new features for Release 18. 3GPP is also studying ways to further reduce RF complexity and cost and extend battery life. RedCap will continue evolving,

5G use cases are typically categorized under LPWA/massive Machine-typeCommunications (mMTC), enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and Ultra-reliable, Low-latency Communications (URLLC). Each of these has features to enable the delivery of services, such as extreme coverage (LPWA/mMTC), high data rates (eMBB) or low latency with high reliability (URLLC). The 3GPP specifications define the requirements to meet these needs. But many IoT applications within these categories can run with reduced 5G requirements. RedCap defines those requirements.

RedCap defines IoT device requirements that need smaller, less complex and lower-cost RF solutions with longer battery life than existing 5G offerings, such as for the latest smartphones. IoT applications with these characteristics include wearables, industrial wireless sensors and video surveillance – key focus areas of RedCap. Some IoT devices for 5G applications don’t need extremely high data rates like smartphones do. RedCap spec-

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for businesses, across the nation. At its core, USPS Connect is about providing solutions that help businesses of all sizes – whether a local neighborhood business or a national shipper – grow their business through mail and shipping services.

A major component of the Postal Service’s 10-year growth strategy, USPS Connect capitalizes on the vast reach of its unmatched physical distribution network to help businesses in every community across America meet growing consumer demand for fast and affordable delivery.

To do so, USPS is transforming and realigning its network to speed package delivery so when customers place an order, they get it as quickly as possible, often the next day.

USPS is built for this because it is the only carrier that serves every home and business six and often seven days a week. Its 644,000 employees also live, work and purchase in every community in the country. That’s why at every level, in every community, it is invested in business’ success.

Hwang, Chief Commercial Officer, President, Global Biopharmaceuticals Business, Pfizer. “ZAVZPRET underscores Pfizer’s commitment to delivering an additional treatment option to help people with migraine gain relief and get back to their daily lives. Pfizer will continue to build its migraine franchise to further support the billions of people worldwide impacted by this debilitating disease.”

The FDA approval is based on two pivotal randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that established the efficacy, tolerability and safety profiles of ZAVZPRET for the acute treatment of migraine. bringing more benefits and opportunities to device manufacturers, carriers, and especially end users. In the next few years, we should expect innovative use cases to emerge across many industries, from where IoT is mission-critical to consumer devices for enhancing lifestyles.

RedCap Use Cases Targeted in 3GPP Release 17 RedCap is good news. Device makers will be able to leverage the benefits of 5G using simpler designs and at a lower cost than current implementations while running at higher speeds than existing LTE IoT networks. End users of these devices will likely have a greater choice of 5G services tailored to specific IoT apps with different data rates, latency, and levels of availability. Carriers will be able to transition from non-standard 5G networks to standalone (SA) more efficiently, offering advantages in cost, efficiency, and new revenue opportunities.

For more information, call 336.664.1233 or go to www.qorvo.com.

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Varstar Ready for Challenges and Opportunities Varstar Alliance is a leading freight brokerage company and trusted provider of transportation services across the North American supply chain. The Varstar network of transportation companies and logistics professionals is also dedicated to providing successful solutions that meet the diverse needs of their individual customers in today's rapidly changing marketplace.

Like nearly all businesses and fami-

lies over the past two and half years, Varstar has dealt with the challenges posed by COVID-19. Varstar has emerged as a stronger company – a

Kroger (Cont’d. from p. 1)

ease diagnosis. When people fully engage with the concept of “Food as Medicine,” we know we’ll have a greater impact on the overall healthcare system.

we provide, we’re bridging nutrition and health, while giving customers access to expert, credible and convenient care.

CDD: Why is “Food as Medicine” such a critical part of what Kroger Health does?

company that is ready for the future.

Going forward, the focus of Varstar’s business remains on providing

CDD: How did retail pharmacies, specifically Kroger Health, play a recent role in addressing the pandemic?

exceptional service to customers, which has meant doubling down on a commitment to enhance and upgrade technology to meet the needs of and opportunities for the transportation industry.

As Varstar welcomes a return to a normal day-to-day business environment, the company is also encouraged to see so many people outside of the transportation industry now fully aware of the importance of an efficient continental supply chain to their day-today lives.

Ultimately, the Varstar family has the interests of families in both the United States and Canada front and center every day. Varstar plays a critical CDD: How is Kroger Health advocating on behalf of pharmacists?

CL: We’re working to show payers the benefits of investing in value-based care delivery in the communities where people live and work. By sharing with payers the breadth of services our pharmacists provide and the expertise they offer, we are lowering the total cost of care by optimizing a patient’s medication regimen through adherence and closing gaps in care.

role in ensuring that everything from what goes on the kitchen table to products for the home arrives on time.

Varstar’s commitment to technology centers on a management system (TMS) that combines state-of-the-art technology in an easy formula providing a wide range of functions that enables the company to be a shipper’s one-stop-shop. The investment in TMS not only makes Varstar’s job more focused, but offers the most value to any shipper and provides an unlimited strategic potential for all parties along the supply chain.

For more information, www.varstaralliance.com.

go

to

discount cards or use a manufacturer’s coupon to purchase medication to help stretch their healthcare budget.

CDD: What is the future for Kroger Health?

CDD: What is Kroger Health doing to save customers money during this inflationary time?

CL: At Kroger Health, we believe the future of healthcare is value-based, not volume-based. It is personalized, not generalized and interprofessional, not siloed. It must be patient-driven, not prescription-driven. At the foundation, this means that we will continue innovating to create personalized experiences for our customers while we also enhance healthcare delivery.

CL: We encourage customers to join the Kroger Rx Savings Club, use third-party

For more information, wwvw.kroger.com/health.

supply chain. All Weleda packaging is recyclable through Terracycle.

Sourcing Weleda processes several hundred raw plant materials, which are cultivated in the company’s eight biodynamic plant gardens or sourced from more than 50 long-term raw materials partnerships around the world. The company’s 50 acres of Biodynamic® gardens – The Weleda Biodynamic Gardens in Schwabisch Gmund, Germany – are one of the largest in Europe. The company places great importance on ensuring that its supply chains are both environmentally and socially sustainable.

Partnerships Since 2011, Weleda has been a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), marking its active commitment to ethical raw material sourcing and biodiversity. In 2018, Weleda became one of the first companies worldwide to bear the UEBT label “Sourcing with Respect.” UEBT offers a globally recognized certification system ensuring the ethical sourcing of natural ingredients. The label guarantees that the cultivation, harvesting and processing of raw materials conserve biodiversity and make sustainable use of natural resources. It also requires that companies respect human rights and ensure fair working conditions for everyone in the

Philosophy Taking a holistic approach to personal care, Weleda understands that looking after the body serves not only beauty but also health. In order to do so, the company develops products – from facial care to deodorants – designed to support a healthy balance between body, mind and spirit. Lead plants give special character to each Weleda skin care collection. They are emblematic of needs in different life phases and contribute to the effectiveness of Weleda products.

Visory Health (Cont’d. from p. 1)

from rising medical costs.

Especially now when insurance premiums are higher than ever, I’m all about finding ways to make access to affordable healthcare simpler and easier. At Visory Health, we’ve created a prescription discount program with an easy experience for the patient and pharmacist that has no coupons or headaches.

With us, you simply check our app for accurate prices at your local participating pharmacies and get your prescriptions at prices you can afford. We created Visory Health for the women, caregivers and families in underserved communities that are in critical need of relief

CDD: What makes Visory Health Rx different?

say, “Built for You,” we mean that we kept pharmacy success in mind when we built our card.

CL: Kroger Health sits at the intersection of food and pharmacy, which positions us to improve outcomes through simplified health, wellness and nutrition solutions. As such, we’re providing people with the tools and information they need to make healthier choices for themselves and their families. We highlight how the ways that customers eat can impact their health or impact a disWeleda (Cont’d. from p. 1)

CL: I’m so proud of what the Kroger Health team provided for our customers. During the pandemic, we used our clinics and pharmacies to vaccinate customers across the U.S. Since 2020, we’ve administered more than 12.5 million vaccines. Our retail pharmacists and nurse practitioners are amazing people, and the ways they provide necessary services and education to the community is inspiring.

SL: We really care about the patients that need their medications and the pharmacies that care for them. Look, we know that retail pharmacies play a big role in the health of their surrounding communities and that these pharmacies have established relationships with the patients and these patients trust their pharmacists. In some places, pharmacies are the closest point of access to healthcare. So we want to help keep retail pharmacies doors open. When we

Ingredients Weleda has been growing the brand’s plant ingredients using biodynamic methods for over a century. Across the brand’s eight global gardens and 50 longterm partnerships with growers across the world, Weleda prioritizes regenerative approaches to agriculture and horticulture, ensuring that only the very best quality ingredients are used in Weleda products as well as maintaining a continual respect for nature. These farming principles are in Weleda’s roots and continue to inspire its high-quality products today.

CDD: Tell us more about who would benefit from the program. Why is this a compelling issue?

SL: Between the number of consumers in the gig economy without health insurance combined with uninsured consumers, consumers who have high deductible plans, and seniors who may or may not have Medicare drug benefits that need a simpler solution, together they represent millions of consumers.

On top of not having great insurance,

visit

For more information, go to www .weleda.com. everyone’s dealing with inflation, which includes increasing drug prices.

We continuously focus on solutions for caregivers and folks taking care of their families because we know the last three years have been really tough on them. We created Visory Health to help provide a little relief so hopefully, they don’t have to face a decision between getting their medicine or other essential items.

If you’re a pharmacy reading this, we would love to partner with you to help keep our communities healthy.

For more information visit www.visory health.com.

38

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

SecuGen (Cont’d. from p. 1)

Examples include mobile devices, ATMs, POS devices, access control systems, lock boxes, safes – nearly anything that could benefit from the added security and convenience of biometrics.

It comes preloaded with SecuGen’s Fingerprint Management System software that allows it to be used right out of the box to capture fingerprint images, extract templates, enroll, search and match fingerprints all in one device.

What is special about the U20-ASFX? Just within one small programmable device, the U20-ASFX provides the tools and technologies that allow for the rapid and efficient development of a wide variety of embedded fingerprint solutions where high quality, rugged design and affordability are key factors.

Its predecessor, the U20-SF, was Neighbourhood Pharmacies (Cont’d. from p. 1)

Our 2023 Pharmacy EXPO is in Vancouver, B.C., May 17-18 and has more than 300 registrants, with attendees gaining direct access to decision-makers and business leaders representing nearly 80 percent of Canadian pharmacy retailers. Neighbourhood Pharmacies events are where the pharmacy industry meets to network and discuss critical issues.

Our industry is in every neighborhood in Canada. This May, they’ll be at the Pharmacy EXPO. Will you? Register today and be where the depth and breadth of the pharmacy sector connects!

Visit pheedloop.com/2023 PharmacyEXPO/site/home/.

Our Fall Specialty Pharmacy Summit is an excellent opportunity for you to grow your business and become part of the Neighbourhood Pharmacies community!

Injection Education (Cont’d. from p. 4)

to follow the latest protocols. But healthcare providers are only one step in the healthcare continuum, and it’s important that those dispensing injection products also have a strong understanding of the benefits of shorter needles, injection site rotation and that needles are indicated for single-use only.

Glycemic control may involve different needs for each patient, and Bausch + Lomb (Cont’d. from p. 4)

of these nutrients into the body as compared to the original PreserVision AREDS 2 mini soft gel formula. (These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)

“As a company that has been pioneering eye health solutions for 170 years, we remain committed to developing new products and enhancing our existing portfolio to address the needs

Chain Drugstore Daily the first of the Unity line of fingerprint products featuring a well-thought out and designed Biometric Development Platform (BDP) that represents a paradigm shift in the OEM biometric space.

The U20-ASFX pushes the envelope farther by offering an amped up storage capacity of 10,000 users (or 20,000 fingerprint templates) on a single device.

What's inside the module?

The core of the U20-ASFX sensor module is the U20-A, a rugged, high image quality optical fingerprint sensor. This sensor also features an integrated Single Board Computer that contains a 1 GHz CPU, a fully programmable Linux system, SecuGen’s fingerprint matching SDK and OpenSSL Cryptographic libraries. The template extraction and matching algorithms that run on the device are NIST MINEX certified.

All of this power and functionality CDD: What is the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada?

SH: The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada (Neighbourhood Pharmacies) is the trusted voice of the pharmacy business in Canada, with over 11,500 pharmacies in virtually every community across the country.

The association represents leading pharmacy organizations, focusing on improving care delivery and advocating for pharmacy’s role in building resilient health systems.

CDD: How does Neighbourhood Pharmacies position its members and partners at the forefront of the pharmacy business?

SH: Governments and industry widely recognize our association as a thought

is packed into an ultra-compact profile that has defied our old model of a sensor and a separate board running the extraction and matching algorithms.

Being able to unite all the parts of the OEM sensor and shrink them into one very small sensor and at the same time embedding an open Linux development environment makes this product unique in the industry.

What does this mean for OEMs? We have for many years focused exclusively on delivering to our OEM partners the tools they need to compete successfully in this highly competitive industry and are pleased to continue to deliver world-class OEM sensors. Coupling our high-quality, rugged optical fingerprint sensors that SecuGen is known for, with a sophisticated development platform, the BDP represents a giant leap forward in OEM fingerprint technology. leader in pharmacy. We pursue a collaborative, evidence-based approach to the insights we provide, building a better understanding of the Canadian market. Year-round, we deliver an extensive suite of benefits and customized assets that our community relies upon and values.

We have a number of member and partner publications that help navigate Canada’s pharmacy business landscape. The reports provide insights on the business, including an overview of remunerated services pharmacy offers, regulatory trends and market trends in prescriptions, demographics, pharmaceuticals and retail trade. Reports are delivered directly to your inbox, ensuring easy access to the information you need to make decisions and strategize for the future.

pharmacists have an opportunity to educate their customers that their own injection experience and glucose levels may be affected by injection variables that are within their control. For example: • Injecting with shorter (4- to 5-millimeter) needles can help patients avoid intramuscular insulin injection regardless of their age, sex, body mass index or obesity status.

• Patients who practice the correct injection site rotation techniques

appear to have a better chance of avoiding lipohypertrophy, an accumulation of fat under the skin due to repeated injection in one site that may disrupt the absorption of insulin and cause glycemic variability.

• A new needle should be used for every injection. Needles are labeled for one-time use and reusing them may dull the needle and make injections more painful.

of patients,” said John Ferris, Senior Vice President, Global Consumer, Bausch + Lomb. “We are proud to offer PreserVision AREDS 2 eye vitamins with the OCUSorb formulation. The OCUSorb formula helps important antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, to be better absorbed into the body, which helps increase the amount of nutrients that can circulate to patients’ eyes.”

PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula eye vitamins, including the new OCUSorb formula, contain the exact nutrient formula recommended by the National

Eye Institute (NEI). This exact formula includes certain amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been clinically shown through decades of research to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) progression. In 2022, the NEI’s AREDS2 10-Year Followon study further confirmed the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin in the AREDS 2 formula.

“AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans ages 50 and older, and the leading cause of blindness for

People living with diabetes need access

About SecuGen SecuGen is a leading provider of optical fingerprint recognition technology for physical and information security. For over 20 years, SecuGen has been a driving force committed to developing innovative, high-quality, rugged and price-performing products including FBI-certified fingerprint readers, sensors, biometric software and developer kits.

SecuGen products are used by financial, medical, government, educational and corporate institutions and are sold through an extensive network of reseller partners including original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors and system integrators in North America, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia.

For more information, go to www .secugen.com, call 415.302.8417 or email sales@secugen.com.

CDD: Tell us about the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Gazette.

SH: We’re proud to have our own digital magazine, the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Gazette, focused on insights, advocacy and healthier Canadians. Each Gazette profiles topics that matter to pharmacy, and it’s free for anyone to subscribe! We invite members and partners to contribute content showcasing our sector’s incredible potential at the forefront of innovation. Subscribe to the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Gazette for free today at neighbourhoodpharmacies.ca/subscribe-neighbourhoodpharmacy-gazette.

For more information, go to www .neighbourhoodpharmacies.ca, call 416.226.9100 or email info@ neighbourhoodpharmacies.ca. to ongoing education to understand their condition and carry out the daily self-care which is essential to staying healthy and avoiding complications.

Together, prescribers, pharmacists and caregivers can help ensure people with diabetes have support on their journey, including crucial information and educational resources that can help them manage their diabetes effectively.

For more information, go to www. embecta.com or stop by Space #456. the 65-plus population,” Ferris continued. “With the new enhanced vitamin, eye care professionals and their patients have the proven AREDS 2 formula eye vitamin with better absorbing nutrients from the patented OCUSorb technology.”

PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula mini soft gels with OCUSorb are available at most major retailers nationwide in the vitamin aisle or online.

For more information, visit www .preservision.com or stop by Bungalow #12.