Prescription volume hits new highs.(34,900 chain pharmacies report 63% market share, or $102.7 bn, of prescriptions in 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Retail pharmacies filled more than 3 billion prescriptions last year, totaling about $164 billion in sales, according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Its Chain Pharmacy Industry Profile also reveals that a community pharmacy is located within five miles of every American.

The nation's 34,900 chain pharmacies, which represent the largest component of retail pharmacy, handled approximately 63% ($102.7 billion) worth of prescriptions in 2001. This year community pharmacies are projected to fill $188.5 billion worth of prescriptions, an increase of almost 15% from the year before.

A 50% increase in prescriptions filled at …