Unions accuse CVS Caremark of pushing Merck drug

[Omaha Steve]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081114/ap_on_bi_ge/cvs_prescriptions

By MARLEY SEAMAN, AP Business Writer Marley Seaman, Ap Business Writer – Fri Nov 14, 3:22 pm ET

NEW YORK – A coalition of labor unions that has been a thorn in the side of CVS Caremark Corp. is accusing the drugstore chain's pharmacy benefits unit of violating the privacy of plan members and trying to get doctors to switch patients to an expensive diabetes drug.

At issue is a mailing sent by Caremark and paid for by drugmaker Merck and Co. to doctors who treat Caremark patients with type 2 diabetes. The letter touts Januvia's potential benefits in improving blood sugar control, and suggests doctors may want to consider talking to their patients about using Merck's drug Januvia in addition to their current treatment.

The Change to Win union coalition says the mailings are intrusive and an improper use of CVS Caremark's relationship with its patients. Merck and CVS Caremark say they are trying to make physicians aware of a drug that may be more effective than older therapies, and that personal information on patients is not being shared.

A CVS Caremark spokesperson responded that Change to Win "has launched several aggressive misinformation campaigns" against the company since early 2007, when it began a drive to organize more CVS employees. It said Caremark does not provide services for any members of the coalition, which includes the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Service Employees International Union and the Laborers' International Union of North America.

Change to Win's investment group also objected to CVS Caremark's purchase of Longs Drugs Stores Corp. earlier this year. CVS said the group has also "wag(ed) campaigns against directors" nominated for its board. The company added that Change to Win wants CVS to impose unacceptable workplace rules on its stores.

In an e-mail, CVS Caremark said the mailings were sent out as part of its RxReview program, and wrote that pharmaceutical companies who sponsor similar mailings never see any patient health information and do not help create the mailings.

FULL story at link.