Abstract
Amazon recently launched their online pharmacy in the United States (US). However, no studies have explored student pharmacists’ perceptions of the potential impact of Amazon Pharmacy. This qualitative study used individual semi-structured interviews to examine third- and fourth-year student pharmacists’ perceptions of how Amazon Pharmacy will affect economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes; the pharmacy experience; and the job market. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed by two independent reviewers until saturation was reached, with differences resolved through discussion with a third researcher. Seventeen students participated in the study. Five themes were identified: perceived economic outcomes for patients, perceived clinical outcomes for patients, perceived humanistic outcomes for patients, perceived impact of the pharmacy experience for patients, and perceived influence of Amazon Pharmacy on the pharmacy market. The majority suggested Amazon Pharmacy would offer lower costs for patients (71%), improved medication adherence (76%), and improved quality of life (65%). There was a consensus that the Amazon Pharmacy experience would be different, with various opinions highlighting potential positive or negative aspects of the service. There were mixed opinions about job opportunities and impact on existing pharmacies. Future studies should evaluate economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes for patients utilizing Amazon Pharmacy.
Highlights
Amazon is a Fortune 500 company that has recently entered the online pharmaceutical market [1,2] following their recent acquisition of PillPack Inc. [3]
The first key theme was that most student pharmacists perceived positive economic outcomes for patients due to suggestions that Amazon Pharmacy can offer lower, more competitive costs
This may hold true if patients do not have insurance or have high deductibles or copayments since Amazon Pharmacy advertises that Amazon Prime members may be eligible for up to 80% off generic drugs and 40% off brand name medications [2]
Summary
Amazon is a Fortune 500 company that has recently entered the online pharmaceutical market [1,2] following their recent acquisition of PillPack Inc. [3]. Amazon Pharmacy customers can access prescription information via the website, phone application, or telephone call [2]. Amazon Prime members not using prescription insurance are eligible to receive discounts on medications [2]. The patient population that Amazon Pharmacy will serve is currently unknown. Previous studies have demonstrated that increased age, comorbidities, education beyond high school, and residing further from a brick-and-mortar pharmacy have been associated with utilizing mail-order services [4]. Online pharmacy services have been more frequently exploited by patients who have undergone polypharmacy, had increased medication costs, had middle-to-high economic status, and been prescribed erectile dysfunction medication [5]. African-American patients, Medicaid-insured patients, and patients prescribed narcotic medications have lower odds of online pharmacy use [5]
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