AP Photo/Charles Krupa
- Amazon launched its new “Amazon Pharmacy” service Tuesday, which means it is now selling prescription medication in the US.
- Amazon Prime members will get significant perks, including two-day delivery and big discounts on generic and brand-name drugs.
- Prime members get discounts of up to 80% on generic and 40% on brand-name medications when paying without insurance.
- This is the latest in a series of pushes Amazon has made into healthcare.
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Amazon will start delivering prescription medication to its US customers starting Tuesday with the launch of its new service, Amazon Pharmacy.
Amazon Prime members will be eligible for two-day delivery on medications, as well as price cuts on both generic and brand-name drugs.
Amazon Pharmacy will let customers type their insurance information into a “pharmacy profile,” per Amazon’s press release. From there, they will also be allowed to select payment options. Customers will be able to buy drugs through Amazon’s main website.
Prime members get discounts of up to 80% on generic and 40% on brand-name medications when paying without insurance.
Amazon will also show comparisons to highlight whether it’s cheaper for customers to pay through insurance, or to rely on the company’s discounts.
Patients can ask their doctors to send prescriptions straight to Amazon Pharmacy, Amazon said.
The launch comes after Amazon bought small drug-delivery startup PillPack in 2018, and is part of a larger trend of the company breaking into healthcare.
In June 2019, Amazon launched its own brand of over-the-counter medications, and in August it launched its new health-monitoring wearable called Halo.
"As more and more people look to complete everyday errands from home, pharmacy is an important and needed addition to the Amazon online store," Amazon's Senior Vice President of North American Consumer Doug Herrington said in a statement.
"PillPack has provided exceptional pharmacy service for individuals with chronic health conditions for over six years. Now, we're expanding our pharmacy offering to Amazon.com, which will help more customers save time, save money, simplify their lives, and feel healthier," he added.
Amazon's SVP of Prime, Jamil Ghani, said: "Our goal is for Prime to make members' lives easier and more convenient every day, and we're excited to extend the incredible savings, seamless shopping experience, and fast, free delivery members know and love with Prime to Amazon Pharmacy."