Amazon Launches Amazon Pharmacy for Prescription Medicine Delivery

Amazon is making its biggest push into the healthcare industry yet with the launch today of Amazon Pharmacy: a new service offering home delivery for prescription medication.

Customers can sign up to the new store by creating a ”secure pharmacy profile,” with the option of adding information about their health insurance, any outstanding medical issues like allergies, and any regular prescriptions. The store will offer a range of “generic and brand-name drugs,” reports CNBC, including “commonly prescribed drugs like insulin, triamcinolone steroid creams, metformin for controlling blood sugar, and sumatriptan for migraines.” Notably, the pharmacy will not sell Schedule II medications, which includes many common opioids like Oxycontin.

As usual for Amazon, Prime members will get a number of advantages over regular customers. These perks include free, two-day delivery on orders and discounts on medication. Amazon claims Prime members will be able to save “up to 80 percent off generic and 40 percent off brand name medications when paying without insurance.” Prime members will also be able to save on medication bought in person from over 50,000 pharmacies across the US, including Rite Aid, CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens.

Amazon Pharmacy will be available in 45 states this weeks, reports CNBC. States currently not covered include Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Minnesota, though Amazon plans to expand to those areas in the future. Amazon says it accepts “most” insurance plans, and will give customers the option of speaking to a pharmacist for advice.

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