Pharmacy deserts are beginning to appear across the U.S. As major drug store chains like Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS continue to close stores. These closures, part of larger restructuring efforts, are leaving communities—particularly in rural and low-income urban areas—without easy access to essential medications and healthcare services.
The trend of drug store closures has accelerated in recent months due to financial pressures. Changes in consumer behavior, and the rise of online pharmacies. Rite Aid, for example, is undergoing bankruptcy restructuring, leading to the closure of several underperforming locations. Walgreens and CVS are also reducing their brick-and-mortar presence. Closing hundreds of stores nationwide to cut costs and shift focus to digital healthcare services.
Pharmacy deserts, areas where residents have limited or no access to a pharmacy within a convenient distance. Many of these areas rely heavily on local pharmacies for not only medications but also flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and other basic healthcare services. Without access to these stores, residents must travel longer distances to fill prescriptions. Which can disproportionately affect the elderly, those without reliable transportation, and individuals in medically underserved regions.
Healthcare experts and advocacy groups are raising alarms about the potential health impacts of these closures. They fear that pharmacy deserts could lead to lower medication adherence rates, delayed treatments, and worsened health outcomes for vulnerable populations. This issue is particularly concerning in communities already struggling with healthcare access due to hospital closures and a shortage of healthcare providers.
The closures are also expected to affect pharmacy workers, with thousands of jobs potentially at risk. Rite Aid has already announced significant layoffs, and similar moves could follow at Walgreens and CVS.
As the closures continue, local governments and healthcare providers are seeking solutions to mitigate the impact. Community health centers, telehealth services, and mail-order pharmacies are being explored as potential ways to fill the gap left by the disappearing drug stores. However, these efforts may not fully address the immediate needs of affected communities.
