As someone who intensely dislikes Wal-Mart, I’m kind of curious to see how this new policy will go down. My health insurance has no pharmaceutical drug coverage to speak of. If Wal-Mart can buy in volume, maybe they can afford to sell generic drugs for $4 for a 31-day prescription—which just goes to show you what the mark up price is everywhere else.
Don’t get me started. I think our health care is in this mess because the pharmaceutical companies and the FDA are in bed together. He who has the biggest army of lobbyists wins.
This article appears in Sep 21-27, 2006.
Does anyone smell anti-trust lawsuit? Think about it, what would $4 prescriptions do to the Mom and Pop pharmacies who cannot afford to purchase in such volume? Eventually, we will have no choice but to get all our drugs from Wal-mart — who will then mark up the price.
Stefanie, that is a good point. But I wonder if we have any mom-and-pop pharmacies any more in this town with a Walgreen’s practically on every corner.
Well, Wal-Mart is nationwide, so there are plenty of pharmacies not in Tucson that could be dramatically affected by the lowered prices. Take, say, Bates Pharmacy in Spokane, Wash.
Although, you make an excellent point in questioning whether there are any local pharmacies in Tucson anymore.
OscoCVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and other national chains have taken most of the business.