Opinion: To address the pharmacy crisis, doctors should dispense some drugs
Point-of-care medication dispensing offers a return to a more straightforward approach, common to physician practices throughout much of American history.
Big pharmacies are in trouble. In March, Walgreens announced that it had reached a $10 billion buyout deal with private-equity firm Sycamore — a price that was just a tenth of its $100 billion value a decade ago. In recent years, the big three — Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid — have closed thousands of stores nationwide.
Smaller, independent pharmacies are struggling, too. A 2024 National Community Pharmacists Association survey found that nearly a third of these owners and managers were considering closure in the next year.
