Amazon puts prescription drugs in vending machines

Amazon is adding vending machines stocked with prescription medications to its One Medical clinics, allowing patients to pick up their medications immediately after their appointment. A wide range of common prescriptions will be available for kiosk collection, including antibiotics, inhalers and blood pressure medications.

The company announced that Amazon Pharmacy kiosks will be available at One Medical’s Los Angeles offices starting in December, with plans to expand to other locations later. Amazon says the kiosks’ specific inventory will vary based on “each office’s prescription patterns” and that they will not dispense controlled substances or medications that require refrigeration.

The vending machines aim to make it easier for people to collect essential medicines without visiting a dedicated pharmacy, helping to reduce delays and the number of prescriptions that are never filled. Patients can choose to have their provider send their prescriptions to an Amazon pharmacy for pickup at the practice’s kiosks. These are then verified by one of the company’s pharmacists, with patients able to checkout using a QR code on Amazon’s mobile app and collect their medications “within minutes,” according to the press release.

“We know that when patients have to make an extra trip to the pharmacy after seeing their doctor, many prescriptions are never filled,” Hannah McClellan, president of Amazon Pharmacy operations, said in the release. “By bringing the pharmacy directly to the point of care, we are removing a critical barrier and helping patients begin their treatment when it matters most, immediately.” »

People who use Amazon Pharmacy kiosks will also have access to phone and video consultations with the company’s pharmacy team to resolve questions about their medications, “just like they would at a traditional pharmacy counter,” McClellan said. It comes as brick-and-mortar pharmacies in the United States struggle with increasing competition and falling margins on drugs, with Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens locations closing in recent years, reducing access to in-person prescription pickups.