McKesson Corp., an international healthcare services and information technology company, is strengthening its position in Canada's pharmaceutical supply chain with the acquisition of Rexall Health for US$2.2bn.

Analyst Insight: The highly competitive pharmaceutical industry is innovating rapidly to meet the changing needs of an aging U.S. population. More than 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day, a pattern that will continue for at least 14 years and equating to over 50 million by the year 2029. As such, how and where consumers obtain and receive pharmaceuticals will change, and logistics will be a driving force behind these movements. -- Kim McQuilken, Chief Operating Officer, Spend Management Experts

Analyst Insight: In 2015, I predicted that the healthcare industry was finally sharpening its focus on profitability and efficiency. While I was writing this Walgreens moved on Rite-Aid and further consolidated the retail pharmacy market, but more importantly strengthened their negotiating leverage on price breaks. If the cost of the supply chain from sourcing to production to distribution was not a priority, it just became critical to profit margins and customer service. - Brian Hudock, Partner, Tompkins International

Analyst Insight: Labor costs are rising just as the availability of workers is shrinking and turnover is increasing. According to the Census Bureau, 60 million Baby Boomers will exit the workforce by 2025, but only 40 million new workers will enter. Companies must rethink how they bridge that gap and keep costs in-line. Many life sciences companies are reaching a scale where investments in automation help replace manual, labor-intensive operations. But companies must be careful in evaluating automation investments. - Roger Counihan, Life Sciences Industry Leader, Fortna Inc.