Amazon Pharmacy to start delivering prescriptions in under an hour: Here’s where Walgreens and patients may lose out

Amazon is expanding its presence in the pharmacy sector by introducing a new service for Prime members. While this initiative may reduce household spending on medications, it poses potential challenges for smaller pharmacies, which many customers prefer over online options. If you choose to purchase your prescriptions through Amazon, you may miss out on the ability to consult with a pharmacist. This can be a significant disadvantage for those who are prone to side effects, concerned about possible drug interactions, or trying a new medication for the first time.

On November 1, Amazon announced a partnership with One Medical, an insurance supplement that allows customers to bypass longer wait times to see a doctor. For $199 a year, on top of a person’s monthly premium, One Medical provides access to a network of medical professionals that accept various types of insurance. locations across the country. One medical customer typically already has insurance, and though the business says they offer affordable plans to uninsured people, they are typically still out of reach for many. One Medical is also unavailable to those who receive Medicaid unless the member lives in Washington, DC.

Amazon Pharmacy will make business harder for its competitors

In addition to affecting smaller pharmacies, Amazon Pharmacy will likely impact larger competitors such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS, all of which have struggled in recent years. Some of these companies have faced labor actions from staff who claim they lack the necessary workforce to provide quality service. Many pharmacists have expressed frustration over spending much of their time on paperwork and administering vaccines, wishing they could dedicate more time to engaging with patients who have questions about their prescribed medications.

Amazon Pharmacy’s ability to offer lower prices on common drugs could further harm these traditional businesses and limit patients’ opportunities to interact with a pharmacist.

Though Amazon touts the role of pharmacists within their business model, they limit patient interactions because their time is costly. Instead, they offer much of the support through chatbots that cannot answer any medical questions. “Once we have your prescription on file, our pharmacists will review it,” said Amazon. The prescription will then be sent to the patient’s house, not allowing them much time to interact with patients if they have questions. The company does tout the 24/7 pharmacist and customer care hotline, which they argue connects patients with a professional should they have a question or concern about a medication they are taking. These are services that their competitors do not offer and alter the relationship between a pharmacist and their patients as this model means that each time you want to speak with a pharmacist, it will be a different person.