Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and Pace Alliance Join Together

Effective April 1, 2017 an agreement between the Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC) and Pace Alliance will allow the two groups to combine their respective buying groups.

The agreement between the two groups seemed like a natural fit, according to IPC President and CEO Don Anderson. Anderson told Drug Topics: “IPC and Pace Alliance … have the same goals: promoting the growth of independent pharmacy and securing a successful place in the competitive marketplace for community pharmacies nationwide. It is a natural partnership between two organizations with one focus.”

When asked about the benefits for the pharmacist, Anderson cited the advantage the two groups will give in securing “key vendor offerings that will put a profit in their pharmacy,” and he added that the agreement allows the two organizations to combine their respective “Government Relations teams and [the team’s] focus to strengthen … advocacy efforts for a positive impact to independent pharmacy as a whole as well as for the individual community pharmacists.”

Related article: The Evolution of Group Purchasing Organizations

Another benefit of the agreement is that IPC will provide Pace member stores with the benefits of their relationships with Pharmacy Select, Federation of Pharmacy Networks (FPN), and other pharmacy solutions sources. 

The agreement does not alter the corporate structure, ownership, board of directors, and management staff of Pace Alliance, and the organization stresses that it will remain focused on helping independent pharmacists.

Each organization brings over 30 years of experience, and each is excited for the benefits the agreement will bring.

Curtis Woods, President and CEO of Pace, is “extremely pleased for Pace to be partnering with IPC. Not only does this benefit both organizations, it benefits all the independent pharmacies associated with both organizations.”