Nick Fabrizio

Senior lecturer, Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Nick Fabrizio, senior lecturer in health policy at Cornell University, says the closures will result in pharmacy deserts and harm people in both urban and rural communities.

Fabrizio says:

“The closures of Rite Aid locations will lead to pharmacy deserts and will harm both those in rural areas and inner cities. Those individuals who need pharmacies the most and who have the fewest options will suffer the most!

“There are relatively few options in rural America for access to prescription medications. Independent smaller pharmacies also have a limited stock of medications and medical supplies with fewer hours of operation than large chain pharmacies. This will make it harder for people to get the necessary supplies and prescriptions that they need.

“Rite Aid has filed for bankruptcy in light of declining sales and thousands of federal, state, and local lawsuits claiming it filled illegal prescriptions for controlled substances, which, in part, fueled the country’s opioid epidemic.

“The competitive landscape has evolved with mail order prescriptions becoming more popular. General items once found in pharmacies can now be purchased through online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and others. This has hurt Rite Aid’s core business.”