PALM BEACH, Fla. — This is going to be a big year for community pharmacy as the nation counts down to full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014. And the National Association of Chain Drug Stores is committed to helping its members navigate a regulatory process for what is still a “very complicated and still uncertain piece of legislation,” NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson told DSNTV in an exclusive interview in April at Annual Meeting in Palm Beach.

FARGO, N.D. — There is no substitute for the face-to-face counsel of the pharmacist in improving patient adherence — and he’s got the data to prove it. That’s the message Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson had for DSNTV in part two of a frank and broad-ranging interview about the state of the industry, the role community pharmacy can play in healthcare reform and the results of an exciting new study that validates the role companies like his can play to innovate patient care, improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

AUDIO Q&A: DSN caught up with Cigdem Topalli, brand manager for Geritol and Feosol at Meda Consumer Healthcare as the company will be revitalizing the iconic supplement brand Geritol — a brand that resonates more with baby boomers today — to better appeal to today’s 30-somethings. Topalli spoke about what the company is doing to breathe new life into this old brand.

Success in the mass market can be an uphill battle for some niche brands as retailers trim selection, bolster private-label offerings and pass on smaller brands they perceive as higher risk. However, retailers also are increasingly looking to distinguish themselves from the competition, whether it is through exclusive offerings, customization or in-store services. This has given rise to the importance of business development organizations, master brokers, regional brokers, and sales and marketing consultants in helping niche brands navigate the path to retail.

Retailers and technology vendors convened at the second annual Health, Wellness and Technology Roundtable to discuss what they see in the current technology today, what they expect in 2013 and some of the unmet technology needs.

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. It signals the end of many things and the start of others. Winter becomes spring. Flowers bloom. March Madness wraps up and The Masters’ tee off. Flu season transforms into flu season. Skiing and snowboarding melt into surfing and kayaking.

Wait, what? Flu season transforms into flu season?

With just about 90 days to go until the start of the first-ever Total Store Expo in Las Vegas this August, DSN convened executives from leading consumer health and consumer packaged goods companies for a frank and wide-ranging discussion about how their companies are preparing to win at TSE. The show — which will combine the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ former Marketplace, Supply Chain and Logistics, and Pharmacy and Technology conferences into one new mega-show — will bring together retail executives and suppliers from all three fields.

AUDIO Q&A: Westport VP and general manager Paul Hemings spoke with DSN about the company's introduction of Zephrex-D, a meth-resistant pseudoephedrine product, to market. Beyond taking a bite out of the $23.5 billion methamphetamine trade, Hemings discussed the benefits of having Zephrex-D behind the pharmacy counter.

AUDIO Q&A: DSN recently sat down with Suzanne Hansen, Walgreens group VP pharmacy operations, to discuss the evolution of the business of pharmacy from a dispensing model to a service model, and to tease out how Walgreens is beginning to mold its pharmacy service model into a comprehensive omnichannel offering.

In my last UpMarketing post, Dart and science, I described how combining quantitative and qualitative research with good old-fashioned gut instincts can drive results. This post examines a related topic: big data. Everyone’s talking about the mountains of data at their fingertips, just waiting for analysis and action.

Audio Q&A: DSN sought out Jordan Eisenberg, founder and president of UrgentRx, for the details on the company's fast powder OTC treatments as they begin to show up at retailer checkouts nationwide. As a brand offering, it represents a unique delivery format with unique merchandising opportunities.

What are the key trends driving sales of false eyelashes? What are the greatest misconceptions about false lashes? To answer these questions and more, DSNTV not only hit the streets of New York City, but also spoke with Kerri LoCascio of Kiss Products to gain greater insight into the segment and to see just how easy false eyelashes are to apply. Click below to watch the video.