CVS Caremark changes name to CVS Health as stores stop selling tobacco

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS Caremark on Wednesday announced that it is changing its corporate name to CVS Health to reflect its broad healthcare commitment. The company also announced the end of tobacco sales in CVS/pharmacy stores as of Sept. 3, nearly a month ahead of its previously targeted date of Oct. 1.



"For our patients and customers, health is everything and CVS Health is changing the way health care is delivered to increase access, lower costs and improve quality,” said Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO, CVS Health. “As a pharmacy innovation company at the forefront of a changing health care landscape, we are delivering breakthrough products and services, from advising on prescriptions to helping manage chronic and specialty conditions.”



CVS Health includes the company’s retail store business, which continues to be called CVS/pharmacy; its pharmacy benefit management business, which is known as CVS/caremark; its walk-in medical clinics, CVS/minuteclinic; and its growing specialty pharmacy services, CVS/specialty.



In February, CVS announced that it would end the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at its CVS/pharmacy stores, making CVS/pharmacy the first and only national pharmacy chain to take this step.



“Along with the start of CVS Health, the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy ends today. By eliminating cigarettes and tobacco products from sale in our stores, we can make a difference in the health of all Americans,” Merlo said.