
Research Reveals US Regions With Highest Drugstore Closures
Pennsylvania, California, and New York were within the top 3 states, according to the findings.
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.
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.
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REFERENCE
Mental health report. Universal Drugstore. March 28, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2024.
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