Nearly 30% of US drugstores closed in one decade, study shows
New research shows that nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade had closed by 2021
Nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade had closed by 2021, new research shows.
Black and Latino neighborhoods were most vulnerable to the retail pharmacy closures, which can chip away at already-limited care options in those communities, researchers said in a study published Tuesday in Health Affairs.
The trend has potentially gained momentum since the study's timeframe, because many drugstores are still struggling. In the last three years, the major chains Walgreens and CVS have closed hundreds of additional stores, and Rite Aid shrank as it went through a bankruptcy reorganization.
Drugstores have been dealing with shrinking reimbursement for prescriptions, rising costs and changing customer shopping habits. The chains have been closing money-losing stores and transferring prescription files to more profitable locations.
