Amazon has entered the pharmacy business. The retailer opened up an online pharmacy that allows customers to order prescription drugs right from their phones and have them delivered directly to their doorstep.
Amazon said that Prime members are eligible for free two-day shipping on prescription medication.
The company said its online pharmacy will offer commonly prescribed medications, including insulin and asthma inhalers. Amazon said that it will not ship drugs like opioids, which have a high risk of being abused or stolen.
To help ensure the safety and privacy of customers, shoppers have to set up a profile on Amazon before they can place an order. Patients will then have to ask their doctor to send the prescriptions to their profile on Amazon.
Amazon said that it will accept most insurance. Prime members who do not have health insurance will be able to purchase generic drugs at a discount.
Amazon has been working on building out an online pharmacy for the past few years. In 2018, Amazon spent $750 million to buy PillPack, an online pharmacy that organizes medication based on what time it needs to be taken. Amazon used PillPack's software, fulfillment centers, and existing relationships with insurance companies to build out its own online pharmacy.
Amazon said that PillPack will continue to ship medication to patients suffering from chronic illnesses.
"We wanted to make it easy for people to get their medication, understand the cost and get it delivered to the home," said TJ Parker, Amazon's vice president of pharmacy, who previously co-founded PillPack. "The hard work is to make it easy ... there were a number of complications behind the scenes."
"We think this new benefit will add tremendous value to our members," added Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime. "It's relevant as folks try to do more from the comfort and safety of their homes."
Photo: Getty Images