Walgreens Releases 2009 Specialty Pharmacy State of the Industry Report

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG), today announced the release of its Specialty Pharmacy State of the Industry report which offers a snapshot of the specialty pharmacy market, evolving trends as well as solutions for managing costs and improving care. The report is available online at www.WalgreensHealth.com/SOI2009.

“We are committed to providing unique solutions to our clients and their members as demonstrated in the case studies within the report”

“We’ve developed this report to keep our clients informed about the specialty pharmacy industry and how Walgreens is responding to the ever-changing health care environment,” said Michael A. Nameth, Walgreens executive vice president of specialty pharmacy.

The report contains key industry statistics, including prevalence data and annual drug spend for select conditions and therapies, highlights of medications in the specialty pipeline and current trends that are influencing the market.

“We are committed to providing unique solutions to our clients and their members as demonstrated in the case studies within the report,” Nameth said. The report includes:

• How Walgreens therapy management programs positively influence adherence rates as compared to national averages, regardless of medication fulfillment channel.
• Results from the company’s oral oncology cycle management program providing therapy-specific solutions to control costs and improve care.
• Research conducted with hemophilia patients demonstrating the significant impact Walgreens infusion nurses can have on reducing hospital admissions as compared to agency nurses.
• How the company can save its clients thousands of dollars through its assay cost management practices for patients with bleeding disorders.

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreen Co. operated by its managed care division, Walgreens Health Services, is a national provider of injectable and biopharmaceutical medications dedicated to serving the needs of patients living with complex, chronic health and medical conditions. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy provides personalized care and services through dedicated fulfillment centers across the country and electronically linked Walgreens pharmacies, including locations in academic medical centers, community hospitals and physician office buildings. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy assists patients in obtaining medications, coordinates insurance benefits and provides individualized therapy management and clinical support.

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,943 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.