Research Reveals US Regions With Highest Drugstore Closures

New research revealed the US regions with the highest major drugstore closures. As the nation’s largest drugstore chains facing mounting pressure, the increase in drug scarcity has created challenges for patients looking to secure their prescriptions locally and conveniently.

The research, from online pharmacy and prescription referral service Universal Drugstore, analyzed the effects of national drug shortages on accessing prescription drugs, factoring in states facing the biggest challenges and the number of pharmacists per population to notable drugstore closures.

Estimated Rite Aid and CVS closures per state.

Despite over 9000 CVS stores and more than 1700 Rite Aid stores in the United States, nearly 1500 drugstores, including Walgreens, are being shut down. Pennsylvania is the most targeted location for closures, with 41 Rite Aid stores already in the pipeline.

California follows closely behind with 31 Rite Aid stores set to close. The major pharmacy chain, which operates in 17 states, is said to be filing for bankruptcy, potentially resulting in more retail location closures in the coming months. Hence, it comes as little surprise that California is one of the first states to get hit with so many closures, as it has the most Rite Aid stores in the country (384 stores).

With 20 Rite Aid stores and 3 CVS stores being axed, New York completes the top 3 states with the most drugstore closures. More than 500 CVS stores and over 200 Rite Aid stores are currently operating in New York City. However, with the rate of stores closing down, residents may start to experience delays in prescriptions.

About the Author

Jamie Winn, PharmD, is the medical director at Universal Drugstore. Winn earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2002 from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, SC. After graduating, he managed a regional community pharmacy in Anderson, SC, where he received numerous performance and customer service awards until 2010. He then partnered with a local diabetic supply company to open a home delivery pharmacy. After selling the business, he served as the Director of Pharmacy Services for a hospice provider from 2012 to 2020, where he was also the clinical pharmacist for their inpatient and home care services and a preceptor for advanced pharmacy rotations. Following the acquisition of the hospice pharmacy in 2020, Jamie began offering consulting services, focusing on pharmacy and patient advocacy content and brand recognition. He is now the Medical Director and Director of Content for several international healthcare companies that provide pharmacy and telehealth services.

REFERENCE

Mental health report. Universal Drugstore. March 28, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2024. https://www.universaldrugstore.com/health-news/mental-health-report/