Amazon buys PillPack, an online pharmacy, for just under $1B

Post by refurb » Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 6:56 PM UTC

PeanutNore wrote: post #138

tombrossman wrote: post #18

This is interesting because Amazon isn't exactly known for supply chain integrity. Who here hasn't received fakes from Amazon? If you rely on a specific medication for your health, is Amazon a brand you trust to deliver it? How long until they start commingling pills and shipping random counterfeit/fake product to users? Hope it never happens but if they do with pharmaceuticals what they did with everything else they…

The integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain is controlled by a specific federal law, Title II of the Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013, also known as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act. The potential liability they would be exposing themselves to if Amazon treated their drug supply chain the way they treat standard 'Fulfilled by Amazon' products would hopefully prevent something like that from ever happening…

Post by dangrossman » Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 6:57 PM UTC

mehrdadn wrote: post #160

lozaning wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can confirm this as someone who used to do 6 figures plus of business on amazon every quarter. Unless I mark that I dont want my inventory commingled (which is an option more expensive than general FBA) once my product shows up at the various warehouses it's dumped into a bin along with everyone else who sent in the same part in for FBA fulfillment. I got all my product from HP via Synnex, all factory sealed brand…

I guess I see how this can happen for everything marked as "New" with no extra details, but how does this work when the ones from different vendors are in a different condition (missing box or whatever)? Are they still commingled then? And if so then how do they make sure the condition matches the one they send you (e.g. not give a missing-box as one that's factory-sealed)?

Post by tigershark » Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 7:03 PM UTC

maimeowmeow wrote: post #115

xkjkls wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knockoffs of what food? Like selling not organic produce as organic?

I used to hear about family members recieving fake ferroro rocher in America many years ago. But here is an recent example in china. https://www.confectionerynews.com/Article/2017/02/08/Fake-Fe... If there was any incentive to create and sell a knock off product, it is only increased when Amazon provides laxadasial environment.

Post by tehlike » Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 7:09 PM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #15

tehlike wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A marketplace and something like pharmacy are completely different. They will still get their drugs from known producers, and on the generics side you'd have things like teva.

I can already get my pharmacy prescriptions from mail order fulfillment houses (up to 90 day supplies even depending on the prescription). What does Amazon offer on top of that? I’ve never not been within 15-20 minutes of a Walgreens or CVS when I needed a prescription immediately, so I don’t see what benefit Amazon brings to this. They’re (Amazon) not faster, I don’t care if they’re cheaper (insurance coverage), and…

Post by mountainofdeath » Thu, Jun 28, 2018, 7:09 PM UTC

petra wrote: post #73

Aloha wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's likely they'll integrate on the ecommerce side of things, not on the supply chain side anyhow - the economy of scale that amazon has for shipping will be beneficial.

People don't want to buy legal drugs from their UPS guy. EDIT: i'm from outside the US, and after reading all the complains about delivery people throwing packages etc, i thought people don't trust delivery guys enough for medicine. It appears i was wrong.