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DUBLIN, Ohio — With the growing concern of the abuse of prescription stimulants like Adderall on college campuses, the Cardinal Health Foundation and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy on Wednesday introduced Generation Rx University, the fourth in a series of interactive toolkits designed to help reduce the abuse of prescription drugs. 

BALTIMORE — "Too sick to go to work, but not sick enough not to tweet about it" Twitter users are helping to predict flu trends. Johns Hopkins researchers recently created a Twitter search method that helps differentiate between people merely tweeting about the flu in general and those who are actually sick, the university announced Thursday. The new tweet-screening method not only delivers real-time data on flu cases, but also filters out online chatter that is not linked to actual flu infections. 

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Hamacher Resource Group on Wednesday honored four employees that are celebrating 25 years with the company this year: Cindy Eichstaedt, data entry assistant; Todd Marshall, network administrator; Kat Fronek, national account manager; and Steve Brester, information technology manager.

“We recognize how special it is to have employees reach this milestone with a company, and we are fortunate to have this depth of experience on our team,” stated Dawn Vogelsang, HRG president and leader of the owners group.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation on Thursday announced the 2012-2013 inaugural class for the foundation’s Faculty Scholars Program. 

Launched earlier this year, the Faculty Scholars Program is designed to educate assistant professors from U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy about designing, implementing and publishing community-pharmacy-based patient care research. Educational programming was designed in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, under the leadership of Melissa Somma McGivney.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. and WATERTOWN, Mass. — Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, and Tufts Health Plan have announced the opening of a workplace health center called the BeWell Center, which offers wellness and preventive care, symptom care and laboratory services to Tufts Health Plan employees and contractors.

Rather than take off for Christmas, the editors of Drug Store News took a look at the year ahead and the stories, issues and trends that will make headlines in retail pharmacy in 2012.

WASHINGTON — The American Academy of Physician Assistants released on Wednesday its "2010 Census Report and Salary Report," which revealed that, even in a down economy, the profession continues to rapidly grow.

According to the census, the number of practicing PAs reached 83,466 in 2010, a 100% increase over the last 10 years. Female PAs outnumber their male counterparts by nearly 20,000. More than 30% of PAs practice in primary care, making it the largest specialty for PAs.

NEW YORK — The new Duane Reade flagship Wall Street store, visited by Drug Store News in an exclusive tour on Tuesday, represents the first American retailer to employ a next-generation digital signage solution from Lawrence called the Tensator Virtual Assistant, which uses the very latest in holographic imaging and audio-visual technology to create the illusion of a real person.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Walmart has rebranded the small-format food-and-drug combo store Neighborhood Market as Walmart Market.

(THE NEWS: Coming soon: More Walmart Market stores. For the full story, click here.)

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — A few years after launching its iFood assistant, a tool for on-the-go users that provides recipes and entertainment tips, Kraft is taking meal planning to the next level.

Teaming up with technology innovator Intel, new Kraft Meal Planning Solutions transforms traditional self-service kiosks into a platform where consumers can obtain recipes, shopping suggestions, promotional coupons and even product samples. The kiosks reportedly also will use facial recognition to determine a consumer's gender and will suggest dinner meal options.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. Merck is expanding its patient assistance program, the drug maker said Wednesday.