AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT SMITH DRUG COMPANY

Spartanburg, South Carolina-based Smith Drug Company, a wholesale pharmaceutical and medical equipment distributor, has announced it will wind down its wholesale pharmaceutical division operations prior to a sale to an unnamed company.

The closure will impact 195 employees located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Milton, Vermont, and Paragould, Arkansas. Layoffs will begin on September 30, 2026, and continue until February 28, 2027.

According to Board Chair and CEO of parent of J.M. Smith, Paula Harper Bethea, "As our industry continues to evolve, this step allows us to honor that legacy by caring for our employees, customers, and vendors and fulfilling our obligations to our shareholders. We are committed to working alongside our employees through this transition and ensuring they are treated with the respect and support they deserve. It is the Smith way.”

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT CARE/OF

Brooklyn, New York-based Care/of, 70% owned by Bayer, offers personalized subscription vitamin packs. As of Monday, June 17, 2024, it will cancel all subscriptions and no longer accept new orders.

The company will lay off all 143 employees by July 3, 2024, due to a “funding loss.”

According to a company spokesperson, “We are actively exploring options for the brand but do not have anything definitive to communicate at this time. We hope to be in a place to share more soon.”

Earlier this month, Bayer’s director of strategic communications Christin Miller noted that “ceasing further investment in Care/of will allow Bayer to better invest in future innovations at help people manage their personalize health.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT COVERMYMEDS

Columbus, Ohio-based CoverMyMeds, the nation's largest Electronic Prior Authorization pharmacy solution, has announced a reduction in its real estate footprint, a reduction in force, and the reassignment of a number of employees to full-time remote work status.

The reduction in force will impact 815 employees, and 1,100 employees will be assigned to full-time remote work.

According to a company spokesperson, "CoverMyMeds continues to be a growth segment for McKesson, and any changes that we make are reflective of our ongoing investment in our growth objectives. Columbus remains an important location for CoverMyMeds, and it’s where we’ll strategically hire and grow the business."

"Parent organization McKesson is permanently closing its Scottsdale, Arizona, office, including a CoverMyMeds group. The company will shrink its office space in Atlanta, Georgia, and continue to operate an office in Louisville, Kentucky, while relocating workers for a patient support unit to Columbus, Ohio."

Kevin Kettler, president of CoverMyMeds noted, "You may understandably be asking why these decisions are necessary in a growing business. In summary, we are aligning staffing with the timing of customer contracts, managing our portfolio and key investments in a more disciplined manner, and integrating further to operate sustainably as one CoverMyMeds. We are focused on positioning the business for healthy, long-term growth to deliver on our commitments to customers, the patients counting on us, and to you. McKesson intends to invest in data analytics and other technology advances to differentiate its products and is searching for the newly created role of CoverMyMeds chief innovation and technology officer.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?