Two More Retailers Become Pharmacy Times Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill Schu, Group Editorial Director, (609) 716-7777, bschu@mdng.com

Two More Retailers Become Pharmacy Times Partners

PLAINSBORO, NJ (May 8, 2009)—Pharmacy Times' unique Strategic Alliance Program continues to attract new stores to its ever-growing network with 2 more leading companies coming on board: Meijer and ShopRite.

The Strategic Alliance Program delivers custom editions of Pharmacy Times to its alliance partners and all of their pharmacists, a readership that currently totals 162,000 pharmacists. These editions display the company logo on the cover and prominently feature a 1-page communication from headquarters to each of the company's pharmacists, who also receive free continuing education lessons.

Pharmacy Times welcomes Meijer and ShopRite to its Strategic Alliance Program at a time when the program has seen significant growth. "We are excited that Meijer and ShopRite are joining our Strategic Alliance Program. Both companies have a long history and are innovators in their markets," said Tighe Blazier, President of Pharmacy Times.

Other recent entrants to the group are Bartell Drugs, Price Chopper, Stop & Shop, A&P, and Shopko. These 7 retailers join the following companies on an expanding list of partners that demonstrates the program's wide reach: Costco, CVS, Kerr, Kmart, Kroger, Medicine Shoppe, the National Community Pharmacists Association, Pamida, Publix, Rite Aid, Safeway, SUPERVALU, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Meijer, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, began during the Depression when local barber Hendrik Meijer opened the first Meijer Grocery in Greenville, Michigan after purchasing $328.74 worth of merchandise on credit. The retailer now operates 181 supercenters throughout 5 states: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. Meijer prides itself on "one-stop shopping," adding numerous offerings throughout its 75-year history, including pharmacy.

Meijer has received accolades for its innovative, customer-friendly retail Web site, as well as its focus on health and wellness, including programs offering free prenatal vitamins and antibiotics, regular health screenings, and ongoing Healthy Living demonstrations, lectures, and events. The pharmacy can link prescription histories to Google health records and hosts an interactive "Ask the Pharmacist" portal. As part of the company's commitment to health and wellness, several Meijer stores also are home to Family Quick Care medical clinics.

ShopRite supermarkets are members of Wakefern Food Corp (Keasbey, NJ), a retailer-owned cooperative with stores on the East Coast. Currently, 45 Wakefern cooperative members own and operate 214 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and Delaware. ShopRite was born in 1951, when members of a cooperative decided they could become more competitive and spread the word about their great prices by advertising under 1 name-ShopRite.

In addition to being a long time supporter of community efforts, ShopRite focuses on customers' well-being with its "Live Right with ShopRite" Health and Wellness program. Some of the programs include a free 14-day supply of 35 commonly used antibiotics, ShopRite's 90-day generic drug program that allows customers additional savings for more than 375 commonly prescribed generic drugs, and a series of free health screenings throughout the year.â– 

Pharmacy Times is a clinically-based, monthly journal providing practical information pharmacists can use in their everyday practice. Each issue contains articles and features covering medication errors, drug interactions, patient education, pharmacy technology, disease state management, patient counseling, product news, pharmacy law, and specialty pharmacy. Pharmacy Times is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of free continuing pharmacy education.

Pharmacy Times is owned by Intellisphere, LLC, a leading provider of health care publishing, research, information, and education. Operating within both traditional and digital media channels, Intellisphere serves the needs of health care professionals through an extensive suite of magazines, journals, e-mail databases, Web sites, events and personal meetings.

Intellisphere reaches more than half a million health care professionals through Pharmacy Times, The American Journal of Managed Care, MDNG, HCPlive.com, Oncology & Biotech News, Oncology Net Guide, Contemporary Oncology, andOncology Net Guide: Nurses’ Edition.