Amazon launches prescription vending machines at One Medical clinics in Los Angeles

Amazon is launching prescription drug kiosks at some One Medical offices in Los Angeles, the company announced Wednesday, in a move that could disrupt brick-and-mortar pharmacy businesses.

The kiosks are operated by Amazon Pharmacy and work similar to a vending machine, disbursing prescriptions for patients “within minutes” of their doctor visit, the company said.

Each machine can stock hundreds of prescriptions, such as antibiotics, inhalers and blood pressure treatments, with inventory that’s tailored to specific locations.

“We know that when patients have to make an extra trip to the pharmacy after seeing their doctor, many prescriptions never get filled,” said Hannah McClellan, Amazon Pharmacy’s vice president of operations. “By bringing the pharmacy directly to the point of care, we’re removing a critical barrier and helping patients start their treatment when it matters most — right away.”

The company is deploying its prescription vending kiosks as pharmacy chains, including Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens, have struggled with falling drug margins. They also face growing competition for sales of higher-margin items like candy and paper towels from players such as Amazon and Walmart.

Rite Aid last week closed all of its remaining stores after more than 60 years in business, while Walgreens and CVS have also shuttered locations in recent years.

Amazon has for years worked to push deeper into multitrillion-dollar U.S. health-care industry, which is notoriously complex and inefficient.

The company in 2018 acquired online pharmacy PillPack for about $750 million, and launched its own offering two years later called Amazon Pharmacy. It then bought primary-care clinic One Medical in 2022 for $3.9 billion, the third-largest acquisition in its history. Amazon also experimented with its own telehealth service before shuttering it in 2022.

Earlier this year, Amazon restructured its health-care businesses into six units “to move faster and continue to innovate,” after a handful of top health executives departed, CNBC previously reported.

Amazon will start rolling out the kiosks at One Medical clinics in downtown LA, West LA, Beverly Hills, Long Beach and West Hollywood. The company said it expects to add more One Medical offices and other locations “soon after.”

“Over time, we see real potential for this technology to extend to other environments — anywhere quick access to medication can make a difference,” McClellan said in an email.

Before patients can use the kiosk, their provider must first send a prescription to Amazon Pharmacy, where it’s verified by one of the company’s pharmacists. Users complete their order in the Amazon app, then scan a QR code at the kiosk.

A remote pharmacist completes a final check of the order before the medication is dispensed, the company said. Patients can also speak with the pharmacist through the kiosk via video or phone call.

McClellan said the kiosks aren’t meant to replace pharmacists “but to bring their expertise closer to the point of care.”

“This model keeps pharmacists at the center of the care experience while expanding how and where they can support patients,” she added.

At launch, the kiosks won’t be available to telehealth patients, only those who receive in-person care at One Medical. Patients aren’t required to be a One Medical member to use the kiosks.

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