Tech giant Amazon has reportedly received approval to become a wholesale pharmacy distributor in at least a dozen states, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The licenses have been quietly granted over the past year by state pharmaceutical boards in 12 states: Nevada, Arizona, North Dakota, Louisiana, Alabama, New Jersey, Michigan, Connecticut, Idaho, New Hampshire, Oregon and Tennessee. An application is currently pending in Maine.
Amazon declined to comment on “rumors or speculation.” Leerink Partners analyst Ana Gupte told the Post-Dispatch the licenses “strengthens our conviction on the likely entry into the drug supply chain. It is still not clear if (Amazon) will pursue a buy or partner with an existing (pharmacy benefit manager) or build such capabilities from within.”
The company would still need to obtain an additional pharmacy license to begin shipping drugs or devices to consumers.
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John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.