HEALTH

FTC Investigates Drugstore Chains in Maryland: The agency is looking into whether the state’s drugstores acted in collusion to boycott Medco Containment Services Inc., the drug-benefits manager that had been hired by the state, a spokesman for Medco said. The drug chains involved include Rite Aid Corp. and Melville Corp.’s CVS stores. About 600 of the state’s 970 pharmacies said they wouldn’t fill prescriptions covered by Medco’s reimbursement plan for state employees, claiming the rates were too high. The refusal forced Maryland officials to cancel Montvale, N.J.-based Medco’s contract. A spokeswoman for Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid said the company has not been contacted by the Federal Trade Commission. Melville officials were unavailable for comment.