Amazon Launches Amazon Pharmacy, Delivers Prescription Medicine

Prescription drugs are now being delivered thanks to Amazon Pharmacy, the company's latest venture. 

Launched on Tuesday, Amazon Pharmacy enables users to securely pay and receive prescription medicine via its online services.

The company's press release stated that Amazon Prime users would benefit from a discount of up to 80% on regular drugs and 40% on brand name ones if they paid without insurance. 

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Amazon users have to simply jump onto their pharmacy profile, add their insurance details, manage their prescriptions, and select their preferred payment option via Amazon's service, explained TechCrunch.

This new push, especially in a day and age when delivery services are going through the roof, is one that could open very large amounts of revenue for Amazon. Moreover, it's a time when people are remaining closer to home, so it's easy to see why Amazon would make this push.

The company has been moving towards the medicine and wellness sectors, like with its fulfillment centers and acquiring PillPack two years ago, and this is undoubtedly its biggest push so far. 

Amazon Pharmacy offers options such as a two-day delivery of medications as well as lower prices for both generic and brand name drugs, explained Business Insider. Patients can also ask their doctors to send their prescriptions to Amazon Pharmacy.

So far, the new addition is only available in the U.S., it may well expand globally. Given the current state of affairs, online pharmacy services are swiftly increasing and as TechCrunch reports, may hit revenues of $131 billion by 2025.

"As more and more people look to complete everyday errands from home, pharmacy is an important and needed addition to the Amazon online store," said Doug Herrington, senior vice president of North American Consumer at Amazon.

Introducing Amazon Pharmacy. ???

Prescribed by your doctor, delivered by us. ▶️ https://t.co/tGNwM0I9IY pic.twitter.com/6pko1sRTvj

— Amazon (@amazon) November 17, 2020

Amazon Prime members will benefit from this shift, as Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime, said in a statement. “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."

Will the prescriptions be delivered in Amazon's latest electric-powered delivery vehicles? Hard to know, but it would be great.