CVS/pharmacy Launches 'To Your Health' Program in Washington D.C. Area, Providing Free Health Screenings

WASHINGTON, June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS/pharmacy, the nation's leading retail pharmacy, brings its "To Your Health" community wellness program to the Washington, D.C. area.  About 100 events are planned at various CVS/pharmacy retail locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia starting June 12 and running through early September. The health programs, also taking place this year in Atlanta and Philadelphia, offer free comprehensive health risk assessments and screenings to help improve access to preventive care to residents in urban and African American communities.  The free comprehensive health risk assessments and screenings are valued at $150.

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Dr. Ian Smith, a nationally recognized doctor, author and diet expert, will appear at one of the first To Your Health events in the D.C. area on Saturday, June 12.  Dr. Smith will kick-off the program at the CVS/pharmacy located at 110 Carroll Street NW, Washington, D.C. The event will be held from 12 - 4 p.m. Dr. Ian will be present from 12 – 2 p.m. to offer his expertise and inspire participants to take control of their health.

"Preventive care is an important part, if not the most important part, of staying healthy and curbing the onset of chronic diseases like diabetes," said Dr. Smith. "I am excited to be working with CVS/pharmacy as a partner of The 50 Million Pound Challenge and applaud their efforts to make preventive care services more accessible to the people of Washington, D.C. and beyond. The screenings To Your Health offers will provide citizens with a snapshot of their health based on blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels which is key in determining potential risk for serious health conditions."

The events provide diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and osteoporosis screenings, and also examine patients for oral care, provide referrals for mammograms and pap smears. Additionally, physicians are on hand to help patients interpret results and provide counsel on next steps.  In particular, CVS/pharmacy hopes to address critical health issues among African Americans, who often have higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure.  For example, the rate of diabetes among African Americans is 11.8% (vs. 6.6% of non-Hispanic whites), according to the American Diabetes Association.

In 2009, over 195,000 people were screened at similar free CVS/pharmacy health events for the Hispanic community across the country and serious health concerns were detected in an alarmingly high percentage of participants. Of the individuals screened:

• 33 percent had high cholesterol
• 36 percent had a high to moderate risk of developing osteoporosis
• 28 percent had hypertension
• 22 percent had diabetes, with more than half being diagnosed with diabetes for the first time

For more information, and a full calendar of To Your Health events, please go to www.toyourhealthusa.com or call 888-604-0333.

About CVS/pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy is the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS). The Company operates more than 7,000 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at http://www.cvscaremark.com/.

About The 50 Million Pound Challenge

Dr. Ian Smith's 50 Million Pound Challenge is a call-to-action for all Americans to come together and help people take control of their health by getting fit, losing excess weight and turning back the deadly toll of weight-related diseases that threaten nearly half of us. The Challenge is a campaign supported and endorsed by leaders across the community and national civic and health organizations.

About Dr. Ian Smith

Dr. Ian is the creator and founder of The 50 Million Pound Challenge.  He is currently the medical/diet expert on VH1's "The Celebrity Fit Club" and a medical contributor on "Rachael Ray." He also hosts "Healthwatch," on American Urban Radio Networks.  Dr. Smith is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Extreme Fat Smash Diet and The Fat Smash Diet, the New York Times bestseller The 4 Day Diet, as well as other works of fiction and non-fiction.  His seventh book, Happy, was recently published by St. Martin's Press. Dr. Ian has filed reports and written for NBC Nightly News, Today Show, Essence, Ebony, People, Cosmopolitan and University of Chicago's Medicine on the Midway.

SOURCE CVS/pharmacy