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Amazon plans to bring same-day prescription delivery to 20 more cities next year, the company said Wednesday, marking the latest phase of its push into health care.
As part of the expansion, which will make speedy medicine delivery available in nearly half of the U.S., Amazon said, it is embedding pharmacies in same-day delivery facilities often clustered around major metro areas. The company announced its plans during a press event at one of its warehouses near Nashville, Tennessee.
Amazon in March introduced same-day pharmacy delivery in New York and Los Angeles, after launching the service in Indianapolis, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, and Austin, Texas. Some of the cities that will be added in 2025 include Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and San Diego.
The company has worked to accelerate medication deliveries. It’s been testing prescription delivery by drone in one Texas city. In most cases, the company said, when shoppers order same-day delivery of their medication by 4 p.m. they can receive it at home by 10 p.m.
The prescriptions are offered through Amazon Pharmacy, a section of its website and app that allows shoppers to order medication, with free delivery for Prime members. Launched in 2020, Amazon Pharmacy was born out of the company’s 2018 acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack. The company in January said it had doubled the number of customers it serves in the past year, though it didn’t provide a specific number.
It faces competition from traditional pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, as well as other large retailers that offer pharmacy services, such as Walmart. Amazon said Wednesday it’s capitalizing on the care gaps created by the growing number of “pharmacy deserts” in the U.S., which can limit a patient’s access to medications and pharmacist care. Chain stores such as Walgreens and CVS have shuttered hundreds of locations recently as they struggle to maintain profitability.
Amazon’s online pharmacy is a part of the company’s multiyear effort to make inroads in the health-care industry. The company acquired primary care provider One Medical for roughly $3.9 billion in July 2022. It launched then shuttered its telehealth service, Amazon Care, along with a line of health and wellness devices.