Press Releases

• Company Also to Highlight New, User-Friendly Online Ordering System
• Will Also Demo Its Retail Pharmacy Digital Advertising Program

SAN DIEGO, August 27, 2010 — At the NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference, taking place August 28-31 in San Diego, Calif., Cardinal Health will encourage attendees to learn more about how they can get involved in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

Today, prescription medication abuse is a significant societal health issue, with more Americans abusing prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants combined¹ and one in five teens abusing a prescription medication at least once in their lifetime².

To combat these trends, the Cardinal Health Foundation recently partnered with The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy to develop the Generation Rx toolkit, available for free public download at www.cardinalhealth.com/generationrx. 

Developed with input from pharmacists, the Generation Rx toolkit contains all of the communications materials needed to educate local schools and community organizations about the scope and consequences of prescription medication abuse. It also shares information about how to safely store and dispose of prescription medications and action steps to prevent it.

Hundreds of retail pharmacists across the nation have downloaded the Generation Rx toolkit, and many are already using it to raise awareness of prescription drug abuse in their local schools, among parents and patients, and in local community organizations. 

Several regional chain pharmacies have indicated interest in promoting the Generation Rx toolkit among their pharmacists, and Cardinal Health is currently piloting a program with Kroger to encourage pharmacists in several Ohio and West Virginia markets to download the toolkit and use it in their communities.

“As trusted, accessible health care advisors, we believe that pharmacists can play an important role in curbing prescription drug abuse in their communities,” said Bill Sheridan, R. Ph., pharmacy merchandiser for Kroger. “The Generation Rx toolkit provides an array of user-friendly materials that make it easy for any pharmacist to conduct a short and simple presentation to educate local schools and civic groups about this growing public health issue.”

Cardinal Health Highlights New, User-Friendly Online Ordering System
Cardinal Health will also leverage the NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference as a backdrop to offer demonstrations of Order Express, its completely new, user-friendly online ordering system. Developed in collaboration with hundreds of pharmacists nationwide, Order Express significantly streamlines the way pharmacies place, receive and track orders, allowing them to more efficiently manage the ordering process so they can more quickly respond to patient needs. Order Express delivers a more convenient online buying experience that includes many features that are similar to online consumer shopping sites, like:

• A simple and easy-to-navigate site design that requires little if any training to use;
• A new product search tool that enables users to quickly find and order the products they’re looking for;
• Special promotions, clearly highlighted on its homepage, so users can instantly click to take advantage of special product pricing offers;
• A new shopping cart feature that puts each final order into a concise, itemized list with the option to edit, add or delete products at any point in the ordering process;
• Clear and transparent generics pricing information to empower users to make smarter buying decisions.

Company Demos Pharmacy Health Network among Potential Advertisers
Cardinal Health will also offer demonstrations of the Pharmacy Health Network, its national, digital advertising program that streams advertisements and educational content to flat-panel LCD screens placed in retail pharmacies, enabling advertisers to target consumers while they wait for prescriptions to be filled.

Advertisers including Bayer HealthCare Diabetes Care, Upsher-Smith, Novartis Consumer Health and Salix Pharmaceuticals are already running advertisements or educational content on the Pharmacy Health Network, which is currently installed in more than 650 retail pharmacies, nationwide.

“We’re thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response the Pharmacy Health Network has received from both advertisers and retail pharmacy customers,” said Jeff Foreman, vice president of strategic purchasing for Cardinal Health. “The NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference provides the ideal venue for potential advertisers to see, in person, how this powerful medium can directly reach patients at the ‘point-of-purchase,’ and how it can influence their buying decisions.”

Attendees at this year’s NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference can learn more about the Generation Rx toolkit, Cardinal Health’s new online ordering system and the Pharmacy Health Network by visiting the Cardinal Health booth #533.

About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $96 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #17 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.