As reported in the Queens Campaigner, a rally led by New York State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) raised awareness of the feared anti-competitive and anti-consumer consequences of the proposed Express Scripts and Medco merger.

The Minnesota Pharmacists Association (MPhA) has formally announced its opposition to the proposed Express Scripts and Medco merger. 

“This merger is bad news for patients who have built trusting relationships with their neighborhood pharmacies,” said Julie K. Johnson, Pharm.D., MPhA executive vice president.

Citing concerns about the potentially devastating impact on community pharmacies and patient care, the Pennsylvania Pharmacy Councl (PPC) announced opposition to the proposed Express Scripts and Medco merger.

Medco CEO David Snow's "Robots vs. Pharmacists" remarks sent the pharmacy blogging community into orbit in October, where it has understandably remained since that time.

Emphasize Merger’s Anticompetitive Consequences & Potential Harm to Consumers

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) – who represent a near totality of the nation’s pharmacy community – today commended the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for issuing a "second request" - further investigation of the proposed merger of Express Scripts, Inc. and Medco Health Solutions, Inc.

Saying that the proposed Express Scripts and Medco merger "would reduce competition resulting in a decrease of pharmacy patient care and an increase in healthcare costs to both consumers and to FMI [Food Marketing Institute] members as employers," FMI urged careful evaluation of the potential merger's effects.

Click here to read the FMI news release.

Drug Store News reports on the Chain Drug Consortium's opposition to the Express Scripts and Medco merger.

Emphasize Merger’s Anticompetitive Consequences & Potential Harm to Consumers

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) – who represent a near totality of the nation’s pharmacy community – sent their first formal letter to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in shared opposition to the proposed merger of Express Scripts, Inc. and Medco Health Solutions, Inc.

Drug Store News reports on the Independent Specialty Pharmacy Coalition's letter to the Federal Trade Commission in opposition to the Express Scripts and Medco merger.

Emphasize near-monopoly’s threat to patient care, pharmacy access

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Executive Vice President and CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, and National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, issued the following joint statement today regarding the proposed merger of Express Scripts, Inc. and Medco Health Solutions, Inc.: