How's this for a low-cost prescription program: Free.
Publix Super Markets announced Monday that it is giving away seven commonly used antibiotics. Up to a 14-day supply of the oral medicines will be free with a doctor's prescription.
Drugs covered include amoxicillin, cephalexin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), ciprofloxacin (excluding ciprofloxacin XR), penicillin VK, ampicillin and erythromycin (excluding Ery-Tab).
The drugs account for about half of all the generic antibiotic prescriptions filled for children at the supermarket chain, which has 684 pharmacies in five Southeastern states. The giveaway is open to all ages.
"With health care and prescription costs on the rise, our free prescription drug program will reinforce our commitment to the total health and wellness of our customers and their families," Publix spokesman Dwaine Stevens said in a statement.
The move could also help Publix attract more customers to its stores, at a time when mass merchandisers are making a strong play with deep discounts for the profitable prescription drug business. Generic antibiotics are generally inexpensive, especially when bought in large quantities. A generic prescription of amoxicillin, for example, typically sells for less than $5.
Wal-Mart launched the prescription price war last fall, when it cut the cost of a one-month supply of many generic drugs to $4 at its Florida stores. The chain expanded the program quickly, and now offers more than 300 drugs for that price at its nearly 4,000 pharmacies across the country. Target quickly followed suit. Kmart offers a 90-day supply of more than 300 generics for $15.
Consumers are shifting away from buying higher-profit items like shampoo, detergents and paper goods at grocery stores, instead picking them up at mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs. Grocery stores are looking at other ways to stay competitive and attract more customer visits, from offering more prepared meals to opening in-store medical clinics.
"Nothing sells like free," said Bill Bishop, chairman of Willard Bishop, a supermarket consulting firm in Barrington, Ill.
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/stories/2007/08/06/publixdrugs0807.html
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