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WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — There currently are about 1,200 retail clinics and more than 100,000 certified immunizing pharmacists. Expect those numbers to rise steadily as other employers looks to mimic Citi's free flu shot card program -- and you can bet they will.

(THE NEWS: Citi's flu care card pushes employers toward lower-cost retail channels. For the full story, click here)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association heralded the withdrawal of two provisions from the Medicaid program that would have had retail pharmacies selling generic drugs at a loss.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. A Southern California-based supermarket chain is assisting with hunger relief throughout November and December.

Stater Bros., in conjunction with its charitable arm, Stater Bros. Charities, will host its Harvesting Hope campaign. The retailer said it is collecting nonperishable food items for struggling families and accepting additional cash donations in all 167 Stater Bros. stores. The stores also are offering customers the opportunity to purchase $10 Harvesting Hope scannable donation cards.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Heading into the 2010 holiday shopping season, Americans appear ready to repeat unhealthy eating and exercise habits, according to the latest Gallup-Healthways well-being index released Thursday.

LAKE MARY, Fla. A specialty pharmacy provider and a manufacturer will collaborate to provide treatments for erectile dysfunction.

Axium Healthcare Pharmacy and Firma Medical announced the partnership Wednesday where by Axium’s erectile dysfunction line of injectable compounded pharmaceuticals will be marketed to Firma’s physician and patient customers around the country. The companies said the deal would give Axium broader distribution while increasing the number of treatment options for Firma’s customers.

WASHINGTON The CRN Foundation, the educational nonprofit affiliate of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, on Wednesday elected four board members.

The CRN Foundation Board elected Karen Todd, director of marketing at Kyowa Hakko, as chair; Jim Flaherty, SVP marketing and advertising at NBTY, as vice chair; Marjorie Fine, EVP, general counsel and secretary at Shaklee, as treasurer; and Judy Blatman, SVP communications of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, as secretary. 

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for treating excess fat development in patients with HIV, the agency said Thursday.

The FDA approved Egrifta (tesamorelin) for treating HIV patients with lipodystrophy, a condition in which excess fat develops in different areas of the body, such as the abdominal organs. The condition is often a side effect of the retroviral drugs used to treat the disease.

ARLINGTON, Va. The Food Marketing Institute announced Wednesday the creation of the Center of Excellence for Food Safety and Protection, uniting food safety experts and professionals from government relations, asset protection, food defense, supply chain management, health and wellness, sustainability and industry relations to address all aspects of food safety.

WASHINGTON Save Flexible Spending Plans — a national grassroots advocacy organization sponsored by the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation — on Thursday called on the new leaders in Congress to follow through on their campaign promises and fix problems with the healthcare-reform law, including the removal of to-be-imposed restrictions on employer-provided flexible spending accounts.