Amazon will more than double to 20 the number of cities where its customers can get same day delivery of their prescriptions by opening new pharmacies in these markets.
The online retailer’s Amazon Pharmacy business said it will leverage its “vast logistics network and advanced automation technology to solve one of pharmacy’s biggest pain points: the lack of convenient, affordable access to medications,” the company said in an announcement Wednesday.
Amazon said the new pharmacies are not retail locations like a Walgreens or a CVS but will be “embedded in Amazon same-day delivery sites, enabling faster delivery of medication directly to a customer’s door.”
These pharmacies are considered “digital first” and designed to simplify the ordering experience with around-the-clock access to a pharmacist. Amazon said the expansion will bring same-day delivery to new cities including Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Diego. Other cities will be announced in coming months, Amazon said.
“In health care, speed and accessibility are critical for positive patient outcomes,” said Dr. Vin Gupta, chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy. “There’s often an important window of time after getting diagnosed when it’s most vital to start your medication. At Amazon, we’re using our world-class delivery capabilities to get medicine to patients within hours of being prescribed. This rapid access increases the likelihood patients engage immediately in their care and adhere to treatment routines, which is shown to improve health outcomes.”
The expansion comes as rivals, including Walgreens, CVS Health and Rite Aid close hundreds of retail locations where customers can come in to pick up their prescriptions. These brick-and-mortar drugstores, however, are expanding their digital and home delivery capabilities as well.
In Amazon’s case, the company said 45% of U.S. customers should be eligible for same-day delivery of their prescriptions by the end of 2025. “In most cases, that means a customer can order medication by 4 p.m. and receive it at home by 10 p.m.,” Amazon Pharmacy said in its announcement.
“We’re re-envisioning medication delivery to focus on what customers need to better engage in their health,” said John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy. “We employ hundreds of pharmacists to ensure the highest quality clinical care and oversight of our growing pharmacy operations. We’re pairing our clinical teams with Amazon’s leading engineers to help customers enjoy a simple checkout experience, clear pricing directly on our site, and fewer hoops to jump through when seeking care.”