Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling for stronger anti-trust laws to protect Connecticut's independent pharmacies.

Blumenthal met with pharmacist Russ Levine, of Westport, who established Colonial Druggists more than 50 years ago.

The senator says the 90-year-old is "a true front-line hero," and shouldn't be in danger of going out of business like five other independent pharmacies that have done so in the area in recent years.

Blumenthal says it's an outrage that third-party administrators of prescription drug programs for commercial health plans - known as PBM's - are putting a stronghold on pharmacists like Levine.