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This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

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Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#41
post #12

I already have to worry about counterfeit electronics when ordering from Amazon. I’m not sure I’d trust them with prescriptions.

Too many are on prescriptions unnecessarily. If they would change what, and how much they eat, they can likely get off the pills. Food is the best prescription.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#42
post #12

I already have to worry about counterfeit electronics when ordering from Amazon. I’m not sure I’d trust them with prescriptions.

Too many are on prescriptions unnecessarily. If they would change what, and how much they eat, they can likely get off the pills. Food is the best prescription.

This is an irresponsible comment.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#43
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, with expensive drugs I would worry that counterfeits could be introduced within Amazon‘s warehouses by workers, or within the postal system. Open a package, extract the original, and put the counterfeit in. For drugs that are worth hundreds of dollars per package, why not? I expect pharmacies to double check everything they buy, and I somehow doubt Amazon will be able to ensure safety when the package is handle…

They would have to operate a pharmacy, they won't just dump expensive drugs into their fulfillment system.

You'd hope.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#44
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IIRC in The Everything Store, Stone recalled how Jewellery was a struggle because of its high value to weight ratio. Pharmaceuticals will probably be a similar problem, but I'm sure Amazon will have a process built in to manage for this if they chose to move into the area

Of course. People assuming that they'd toss drugs in with their random goods are not even trying to comprehend this business move. They bought World Foods. They didn't start storing week old bread on their shelves. The pharmacy division would be a completely separate process subject to all the additional _legal_ requirements all the other pharmacies adhere to. They're not going to just have buckets of Percocet lying…

it would be difficult, every state has different requirements and they'd have to have a pharmacist licensed in every state to fill the rx. What they'd probably do is buy up a central fill facility in every state and hope the pharmacists who work there choose to stay (pharmacists are in short supply). Also, i'm not sure how they'd handle scheduled prescriptions ( like oxy ). At least in Texas those have to be reported to the state and e-prescribing is difficult so most patients end up with a physical scheduled rx that can't be scanned/faxed in, the pharmacist has to collect the original.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect Amazon isn't overly concerned with trimming the fat in this case (Walmart took out a lot of what was left of that when they entered the business). At break-even in pharmacy, while not trimming so much as a dollar of fat, Amazon benefits big. Here's how: - Increased shipping volume. This adds to their market leverage and it can bolster their own logistics business over time. Anything Amazon can do at scale,…

Totally agree with what you said. I'd like to add that another part of the break-even game is that often all it takes is for your competitor to take one step in the wrong direction, for you to become profitable. When Blockbuster (for example) took on streaming to compete with Netflix, not only were they far too late, but they also charged a fee for movies. People didn't bother because Netflix had unlimited streaming.…

don't forget the Blockbuster streaming deal involved ( a may have been originated by ) Enron of all things. It never had a chance in hell.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They would have to operate a pharmacy, they won't just dump expensive drugs into their fulfillment system.

You'd hope .

No, I still have sufficient faith in the regulatory apparatus in the US.

Especially for something where the businesses have set the regulator up as a gatekeeper.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#47
post #11

Looking forward to having my adderall delivered by drone.

heh i take vyvanse and have to burn a morning once a month to get my refill. It's so infuriating i wrote a telemed system based on webrtc and am selling it to my doctor so i can see my NP and get my rx snail mailed to me without leaving the office.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#48
post #12

I already have to worry about counterfeit electronics when ordering from Amazon. I’m not sure I’d trust them with prescriptions.

Agreed with this.

I have a lot of problems with the pharma industry, but I'm not going to chance it with counterfeit medication just because I might save a few bucks. When I get something that's a counterfeit electronic off of Amazon - no harm, no foul, for the most part. Their customer support just refunds me the money and I can send it back. Can't really do the same with medication that might kill me.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#49
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But then it would turn into a slow government entity Public utilities are not necessarily government entities; they can be privately owned. > all the talent will leave, and our economy would lose a great innovator That talent could work at universities again, so everybody would benefit more evenly from innovation.

Public utilities are not necessarily government entities; they can be privately owned. Like Bell, who had to be sued to allow people to use modems and fax machines?

At least the law was on our side.

Try suing Amazon for a similar cause.

Re: This Is How Amazon Could Invade the Pharmacy Business

#50
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Public utilities are not necessarily government entities; they can be privately owned. Like Bell, who had to be sued to allow people to use modems and fax machines?

At least the law was on our side. Try suing Amazon for a similar cause.

I don't need to - I can not use them.
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