Amazon Pharmacy Is Launching Vending Machines For Prescription Drugs

Amazon announced connected Wednesday that it’s debuting medicine vending machines astatine its One Medical clinics. The caller in-office kiosks, which are operated by Amazon Pharmacy, fto patients prime up their prescriptions instantly aft their appointment.

Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks will beryllium disposable at One Medical locations in Los Angeles starting successful December, and Amazon plans to grow to much locations soon after.

After a supplier writes a prescription, patients tin take to person it sent to Amazon Pharmacy for in-office stalls pickup. Patients past usage their telephone to cheque retired successful nan Amazon app, aft which medications are typically “ready successful minutes,” Amazon says.

The kiosks person a scope of commonly prescribed medications, including antibiotics, inhalers, and humor unit medications. Amazon notes that each kiosk’s inventory is customized based connected nan prescribing patterns of its circumstantial agency location, and that controlled substances and medications requiring refrigeration are not disposable done nan kiosks.

Image Credits:Amazon

Patients will beryllium capable to usage nan Amazon app to spot upfront costs, including disposable discounts and estimated security copays, and link to a licensed pharmacist via video aliases telephone consultation if needed.

“We cognize that erstwhile patients person to make an other travel to nan drugstore aft seeing their doctor, galore prescriptions ne'er get filled,” said Hannah McClellan, vice president of operations astatine Amazon Pharmacy, successful a press release.

U.S. drugstore chains are struggling; Rite Aid past week closed each of its remaining stores; CVS has closed much than 1,000 stores since 2021; and Walgreens closed 500 stores complete nan past year.

Amazon’s caller kiosks could disrupt brick-and-mortar drugstore businesses moreover more.

The motorboat of nan kiosks marks Amazon’s latest move to grow its beingness successful nan healthcare sector. In 2018, Amazon purchased online drugstore PillPack for $750 cardinal and past launched Amazon Pharmacy successful 2020. Two twelvemonth later, it bought primary attraction supplier One Medical.