Publix Won't Charge For Seven Popular Prescription Antiobiotics
Posted on August 6, 2007
The Sun-Sentinel reports that the Publix grocery store chain will be giving away several popular prescription antiobiotics as a way to lure customers to stores. The drugstore will give away the following drugs: amoxicillin, cephalexin, penicillin VK, erythromycin, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and ciprofoxacin.
The oral antibiotics, representing the most commonly filled at the chain's pharmacies, will be available at no cost to anyone with a prescription as often as they need them, Publix CEO Charlie Jenkins Jr. said. Fourteen-day supplies of the seven drugs will be available at all 684 of the chain's pharmacies in five Southern states.Last year Wal-Mart started selling sell generic prescription drugs for $4. Kmart offers a 90-day supply of generic drugs for $15. The article says several other retailers also offer discounted drugs but Publix is the first to give them away.The prescription antibiotics available under the program are amoxicillin, cephalexin, penicillin VK, erythromycin, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and ciprofoxacin.
Gov. Charlie Crist went to a suburban Fort Myers store to help the company make the announcement and to praise the Lakeland-based employee-owned company, one of the dominant retailers in the region.
"It can't be any more affordable than free," Crist said.