CHICAGO (Reuters) — Publix Super Markets, a privately-held U.S. grocer, said Monday it would offer seven generic antibiotics for free for customers with prescriptions. The plan mimics one already in place at another private U.S. chain in another part of the country. It also comes nearly a year after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. … Target Corp. … and others started selling such drugs for $4 per prescription. Publix said those antibiotics account for nearly 50 percent of the generic pediatric prescriptions filled at its stores. The company, which has more than 900 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, runs 684 pharmacies.
I suppose that there’s a lot more to this giveaway than meets the eye, but I’m going to have to give Publix the benefit of the doubt and a tip of the hat for doing something exceedingly rare in corporate America. Given that the pharmaceutical industry has become such a massive cash cow over the years, I find it surprising that anyone at any point in the drug distribution chain would give away drugs of any sort- even generic (and probably relatively inexpensive) antibiotics. Sure, Publix is going to get a ton of free (and very positive) publicity out of this move, but why not?
In an era when more and more emphasis is placed on profit at the expense of people, it’s comforting to see a corporation take a step, however small, in the other direction. Publix’ decision will not change the future of health care as we know it, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
