WALGREENS' million-dollar acquisition of a smaller pharmacy has caused mass closures in California.
Brooklyn, New York-based Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies will shutter 22 of its storefronts after it was bought by Walgreens.
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies filed for bankruptcy in December, which prompted the deal between them and the pharmacy giant.
On Tuesday, Walgreens' 19.35million deal with Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies was approved by a judge in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Medly Health, a digital pharmacy business, acquired Boulder, Colorado-based Pharmaca, roughly a year before they went bankrupt, so Walgreens now has control of Medly's assets as well.
“We are pleased to have reached agreement to acquire the pharmaceutical records and other select assets across 22 Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacies and four Medly Pharmacies nationally,” Walgreens spokeswoman Kris Lathan said on Wednesday.
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Lathan added: “Although specific store details are being finalized given bankruptcy court’s ruling Tuesday, prescription files and inventory are expected to be transferred to nearby Walgreens by mid-February."
To make it easier for customers, the pharmacy giant will automatically transfer patients' pharmacy files to a designated Walgreens store.
“Patients will receive notice about any changes through mail and other means with details about continued access to their prescriptions and other services," Lathan said.
Walgreens sparked controversy among Boston, Massachusetts city officials after closing three local stores back in November 2022.
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The three neighborhoods are in the following low-income areas: Hyde Park, Nubian Square, and Mattapan.
Boston Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson told WCVB, that corporations have "treated black, brown, and working-class communities as though we are second-class citizens."
Other lawmakers have also stated the danger of closing without giving enough notice to customers.
This led to the Boston City Council passing a resolution requesting that the pharmacy postpone all closures in the city until it meets specific commitments.
The resolution will allow the company, the city, and the community to assist those impacted by the closure.
A Walgreens spokesperson said: "When faced with the difficult task of closing a particular location, several factors are taken into account, including things like the dynamics of the local market and changes in the buying habits of our patients and customers, for example."
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