Wal-Mart hikes branded diabetes drug prices

* Wal-Mart raised brand drug prices 32 pct over 2008-2010

* Kmart branded prices rose 35 pct over same period

* Average pharmacy branded drug price increase was 21 pct

By Deena Beasley

SAN DIEGO, June 25 (Reuters) - Big-box retailers Wal-Mart Stores and Kmart, pioneers in the push to cut consumer prices for generic drugs, have been raising prices for the most popular brand-name diabetes drugs, according to a new study.

Walmart Raises Prices On Diabetes Meds As Diabetes Diagnosis Rate Doubles

The dramatic increase in brand-name medication prices coincides with the more-than-100-percent increase in the number of diabetes cases worldwide since 1980