Wal-Mart to offer generic prescriptions for $4

[Regis Philbin]

:scratch: I thought Wal-Mart was only interested in making money, that they were a heartless conservative corporation bent on world domination and breaking the backs of the poor...


http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7BA0104FFC%2DE921%2D4A54%2D873A%2D6A90482E4 848%7D&dist=newsfinder&siteid=google

Wal-Mart ready for rapid processing of generic drugs


By Jennifer Waters
Last Update: 10:38 AM ET Sep 21, 2006


CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that it is all "geared up" for a "significant" hike in drug sales as a result of its plan to sell generic medicines for $4 a prescription. On a conference call with reporters, William Simon, executive vice president, said that the company -- known for its technological and logistical expertise -- expects a volume onslaught. "Our pharmacy system is very, very capable of rapidly processing prescriptions," he said. Wal-Mart also is staffing up for new customers and is planning to launch a national advertising campaign to promote the plan.

[Richard Tafoya]

They're also trying to deflect criticism over the fact that their pay and benefits policies force many of their own employees into government assistance programs for health care.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

Target is matching Wal-Mart's price point. This is going to have a big impact of all aspects of perscription drugs if it continues. I've seen a partial list of the drugs (both stores are using the same list) and a lot of them are older drugs, ones not used as much today as more effective drugs have replaced them. I can see patients, though, going back to the doctor and asking for a $4 perscription rather than the $80 perscription. It's going to put doctors in a sticky position. And if chains such as Walgreens and CVS don't follow suit, they may lose a significant number of customers, especially with the retired population in Florida. In addition, this price drop on so many drugs tells the public just how much drugs are being marked up at the retail level. What will be the backlash from that awareness?

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

[Stopanimalabuse]

:scratch: I thought Wal-Mart was only interested in making money, that they were a heartless conservative corporation bent on world domination and breaking the backs of the poor...


http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7BA0104FFC%2DE921%2D4A54%2D873A%2D6A90482E4 848%7D&dist=newsfinder&siteid=google
LOL There have been reports of them closing down smaller businesses, and there have been numerous reports of them using child labor to make their products. So, I would think they deserve the reputation they have.

[SparkleHugs]

they are money grubbing, having the amount of people coming to their store for their cheaper prescription is going to get them more money than if they had left it the same price as they were before. its a good marketing stragegy for the prescriptions, which is good for all of the people who will be able to afford it. however they are still a heartless conservative corporation bent on world domination and breaking the backs of the poor.

[Regis Philbin]

LOL It kills me that the lefties hate Wal-Mart almost as much as they hate Bush. Wal-Mart has almost single-handedly kept inflation down the last 10 - 15 years or so...and that has been a BIG help to the poor...and the economy.

[Richard Tafoya]

Whose economy and whose poor? Most of what they sell comes from China, Malaysia, Indonesia or any number of other sweatshop-friendly nations. They're transferring billions of dollars OUT of the U.S. economy with their practices anually, while stunting wage growth for their employees and forcing American factories to dump their domestic workforces and source their products from other nations.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

Not to mention adding to the number of "working poor" who must rely on the government (taxpayers) to subsidize healthcare, shelter and food.

[Stopanimalabuse]

LOL It kills me that the lefties hate Wal-Mart almost as much as they hate Bush. Wal-Mart has almost single-handedly kept inflation down the last 10 - 15 years or so...and that has been a BIG help to the poor...and the economy.
I would say I'm more independent than anything, so it's not just the liberals who feel that way about them. My mother knows a person whose small business was ruined by them and this does seem to happen a lot. They've caused more suffering to the people of this country than any good they've done, so I see no reason to support them.

[Venisenvy]

If Buisnesses can't compete with Walmart and they cant find a way to offer something different than they deserve to shut down. It's buisness we should not hold anyones hand but help them be innovative. There are many buisnesses that have been able to act big by innovation and a new way of doing buisness not just thinking that they can do the same thing they have always done and expect to survive.

Hey who cares the reason, offering cheaper medicines to everyone is a great thing and only helps.

[*Katy*]

I hate walmart, and any other company that makes billions and pays their employees 5.15 a hour. I hate all companies that take advantage of kids and adults in other countries. Just b/c a 1$ a day in another country is "good" money doesnt make it right. Will i not shop at walmart? Of course not, i shop at walmart, i shop at gap, target, best buy...etc. All of which have similar problems. If walmart has 4$ prescriptions then i will go there....is it ANY generic prescription or only the popular ones?

[DoubleEdgeSword]

There is a list of about 300 drugs, which is a bit misleading because they count the same drug a number of times depending on what dosages they come in. For example, atenolol may come in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. They'll count that as three drugs for the list.

[*Katy*]

There is a list of about 300 drugs, which is a bit misleading because they count the same drug a number of times depending on what dosages they come in. For example, atenolol may come in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. They'll count that as three drugs for the list.
gotcha, well its still a good thing for people who have a hard time affording their medications. Hopefully doctors will have that list available so they can perscribe the affordable medication to people that need it the most. It annoys me when doctors perscribe the newest medication to people that obviously cant afford it when there is a drug that has been around for 30 years that acts the same way.

[Venisenvy]

I hate walmart, and any other company that makes billions and pays their employees 5.15 a hour. I hate all companies that take advantage of kids and adults in other countries. Just b/c a 1$ a day in another country is "good" money doesnt make it right. Will i not shop at walmart? Of course not, i shop at walmart, i shop at gap, target, best buy...etc. All of which have similar problems. If walmart has 4$ prescriptions then i will go there....is it ANY generic prescription or only the popular ones?

I don't see it the same way, while I think its unfair to work some young children the way they do because an education should be important, if the $1 dollar is good money then its perfectly fine. Just because our standard of living is higher does not mean that we should raise the rest of the worlds wages accordingly.

[Stopanimalabuse]

If Buisnesses can't compete with Walmart and they cant find a way to offer something different than they deserve to shut down. It's buisness we should not hold anyones hand but help them be innovative. There are many buisnesses that have been able to act big by innovation and a new way of doing buisness not just thinking that they can do the same thing they have always done and expect to survive.

Hey who cares the reason, offering cheaper medicines to everyone is a great thing and only helps.
I can't believe you said that. These are small businesses which are run by maybe one or two people. Wal-Mart comes into the area, and the people obviously can't compete. Wal-Mart tends to be very power-hungry, so they continue to build more and more stores. There are far too many Wal-Marts as it is, so that's obviously going to have a negative impact on many businesses in that area.

[*Katy*]

I don't see it the same way, while I think its unfair to work some young children the way they do because an education should be important, if the $1 dollar is good money then its perfectly fine. Just because our standard of living is higher does not mean that we should raise the rest of the worlds wages accordingly.
Which is the difference between you and me. I dont believe that people with any compasion and a good heart could make BILLIONS of dollars while continuing to promote poverty in the world. Its not ETHICAL, PERIOD. People can live their lives the way they want, and anyone that worked hard and makes a very good salary is entitled to that salary, but i could not go home to my beautiful house and my beautiful family that is getting the best education and i could not sleep at night knowing that the reason i am SO rich is because of people in other countries working ridiculous hours, and are homeless, and hungry...its not right, whatever way you spin it.

Yeah we have a "higher standard of living" meaning that we actually live in a home, can buy food, and can spend time with family because we dont work 100 hours a week. Its hypocritical to say that people in other countries dont deserve that and we can treat them the way we want because WE deserve the higher standard of living, NOT them. Practice what you preach, if there was a family in the united states that was homeless and the whole family(including the kids) had to work to pay the bills to get a home... people would help them! Americans believe in education, they dont believe in child labor, they dont believe in low wages(except the top 1% of americans). So why is it okay to treat others that way? Most kids working in sweat shops have never even seen a school, and thats most likely because there are none!

[Venisenvy]

Those areas will improve over time, we have seen it in many of the asian cities were this has taken place. #1 they rather have jobs than no jobs and #2 the long term result is improvement in the standard of living and increases in wages. You can't just force the higher wages right away.

[*Katy*]

Those areas will improve over time, we have seen it in many of the asian cities were this has taken place. #1 they rather have jobs than no jobs and #2 the long term result is improvement in the standard of living and increases in wages. You can't just force the higher wages right away.
You can if you make BILLIONS of dollars, stop the excuses, there are no excuses for keeping others in poverty to benefit yourself and your buisness. ESPECIALLY if you have the funds to improve the situation. Its selfish and its unethical