As part of its ongoing effort to get more involved in the healthcare industry, Amazon said on Wednesday that it will be expanding same-day prescription delivery to 20 additional locations in 2019.
Fast medication delivery will now be possible in over half of the United States, according to Amazon, as a result of the growth. Pharmacies are being integrated into same-day delivery services, which are frequently centered around large cities. At a press conference held at one of its warehouses outside of Nashville, Tennessee, the firm revealed its ambitions.
Following its introduction in Indianapolis, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, and Austin, Texas, Amazon expanded its pharmaceutical delivery service to include same-day delivery to New York and Los Angeles in March.
2025 will see the addition of a number of cities, including Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Diego.
The business has made an effort to distribute medications more quickly. In one Texas city, drone delivery of prescription drugs is being tested. According to the firm, customers may often have their prescription at home by 10 p.m. if they purchase same-day delivery by 4 p.m.
The medications are available via Amazon Pharmacy, a component of the company’s website and app where customers may acquire prescription drugs with free delivery for Prime members. Amazon Pharmacy was established in 2020 as a result of the business’s acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack in 2018. The firm stated in January that it had doubled the number of clients it had over the previous year, although it did not give a precise figure.
Traditional pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, as well as other sizable businesses that provide pharmacy services, such Walmart, compete with it. Amazon said on Wednesday that it is leveraging the gaps in treatment brought about by the increasing number of “pharmacy deserts” in the United States, which can restrict a patient’s access to prescription drugs and pharmacist services. Recently, hundreds of outlets have been closed by chain retailers like Walgreens and CVS due to their struggles to remain profitable.
One aspect of Amazon’s multiyear strategy to gain traction in the healthcare sector is its online pharmacy. In July 2022, the business paid around $3.9 billion to purchase One Medical, a primary care provider. Together with a range of health and wellness products, it introduced and then discontinued its telehealth program, Amazon Care.
