Grocery Retailer Giant Eagle Expands Generic Prescription Drug Inventory, Introduces Price Cuts

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 09 Nov 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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Pennsylvania grocery retailer Giant Eagle on Wednesday announced that it will add about 100 prescription drugs to its $4 generic drug program, raising its number of products available at that price to more than 400, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The newly added generic drugs come from therapeutic classes that already are part of the chain's $4 program, including allergy and asthma, heart health and vitamins. Giant Eagle's program now also will include other lines of medications, such as cholesterol management, family planning and oncology, the Tribune-Review reports. In addition, the retailer will reduce the price of 12 other drugs (Napsha, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/8).

The announcement of the initiative comes as consumer support for low-cost generic drug programs grows and as other retailers that offer such programs step up their efforts to meet increasing demand, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Retail chains including Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, Kmart and Meijer offer similar programs and deals.

Randy Heiser, vice president of pharmacy for Giant Eagle, said, "We felt that it was important in our markets to be seen as a leader" (Lindeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/8). Heiser also said that the retailer's generics program is "as best we can tell ... the most expansive generic prescription program for $4" in the U.S. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/8).

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