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Nicholas Saraceno is Editor of Pharmaceutical Commerce. He can be reached at nsaraceno@mjhlifesciences.com.
Set to debut in California this December, Amazon’s new i=pharmacy kiosks aim to streamline care by letting One Medical patients pick up prescriptions right after appointments, eliminating the need for a separate pharmacy visit.
The latest innovation from Amazon has hit the pharma space—vending machines.
Beginning in December, these self-service kiosks are expected to provide One Medical patients—those who are enrolled in the company’s healthcare service that offers both virtual and in-person primary care—with a way to sidestep a visit to a conventional pharmacy by allowing them to pick up their prescribed meds at their doctor’s office.1.2
These aforementioned kiosks will initially roll out to One Medical locations in California, including:
Hannah McClellan, vice president of operations at Amazon Pharmacy, emphasized that the new kiosks are designed to improve medication access and adherence, noting, "We know that when patients have to make an extra trip to the pharmacy after seeing their doctor, many prescriptions never get filled. By bringing the pharmacy directly to the point of care, we're removing a critical barrier and helping patients start their treatment when it matters most—right away."
The automated dispensers will stock a wide range of frequently prescribed medications, including antibiotics, inhalers, and blood pressure treatments, along with seasonal options such as flu and allergy remedies.
The overall process, according to the e-commerce juggernaut, is quite simple:
“By closing the loop between diagnosis, prescription, and treatment, Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks represent an important step in Amazon Health Services’ mission to make health care simpler, more accessible, and more customer-centric,” the release added. “Looking ahead, the technology has the potential to dramatically improve medication access across diverse health care settings and bring pharmacy services directly to patients when and where they need them most.”
Amazon Pharmacy made its debut in 2020, and operates just like the standard platform does—patients can order their meds and request refills on their devices, and they can be delivered straight to their homes. One Medical was purchased in February 2023 as part of Amazon’s mission to disrupt the way the standard primary care process operates.
“If you fast forward 10 years from now, people are not going to believe how primary care was administered. For decades, you called your doctor, made an appointment three or four weeks out, drove 15-20 minutes to the doctor, parked your car, signed in and waited several minutes in reception, eventually were placed in an exam room, where you waited another 10-15 minutes before the doctor came in, saw you for five to ten minutes and prescribed medicine, and then you drove 20 minutes to the pharmacy to pick it up—and that’s if you didn’t have to then go see a specialist for additional evaluation, where the process repeated and could take even longer for an appointment,” explained Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. “Customers want and deserve better, and that’s what One Medical has been working and innovating on for more than a decade. Together, we believe we can make the health care experience easier, faster, more personal, and more convenient for everyone.”
References
1. Amazon Pharmacy Introduces In-Office Kiosks to Help Patients Get Medications Immediately After Appointments. Amazon. October 8, 2025. Accessed October 10, 2025. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-pharmacy-kiosks-one-medical
2. Cunningham M, Lee AMD. Amazon to Start Offering Prescription Drugs Through Vending Machines. CBS News. October 8, 2025. Accessed October 10, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-launch-prescription-drug-pharmacy-kiosks-one-medical/
3. One Medical Joins Amazon to Make It Easier for People to Get and Stay Healthier. One Medical. February 22, 2023. Accessed October 10, 2025. https://www.onemedical.com/mediacenter/one-medical-joins-amazon/