Walmart Ventures into the Specialty Pharmacy Sector

Walmart appears to be shifting its healthcare strategy as it intensifies efforts in its “autoimmune-focused” specialty pharmacy business, according to reports from Forbes. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer plans to open 25 additional autoimmune-focused specialty pharmacies across five states. Once this expansion is complete, Walmart will operate a total of 31 such units located in nine states, including Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.

This announcement follows Walmart’s decision to close all 51 of its Walmart Health clinics and cease telehealth operations in April, citing an inability to turn a profit due to the “challenging reimbursement environment” and increasing operating costs.

Specialty pharmacies provide consumers with a cost-effective option for medications that require specialized administration, refrigeration, packaging, and detailed patient instructions. These pharmacies will be integrated into Walmart’s store layout, staffed with specialty-trained pharmacy professionals, and will offer condition-specific specialty services.

Courtesy of Walmart

Patients suffering from autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and gastrointestinal disorders will be able to receive treatment at these new specialty pharmacies.

According to Forbes, Walmart also operates specialty pharmacies that focus on HIV treatment, and with the addition of the autoimmune locations, the retailer will have specialty pharmacies at a total of 158 locations in the U.S.

This strategic move comes as Walgreens prepares to transition AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy to Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy on August 1. Patients at AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy and Walgreens community-based specialty pharmacies will have access to clinicians with specialized disease state expertise, nutritionists, and care nurses.

Additionally, the expansion will include a gene and cell services pharmacy and an innovation center in Pittsburgh, Pa., along with four central specialty pharmacies where pharmacists and care teams collaborate nationwide to dispense highly complex medications and assist patients in managing chronic or rare diseases.