Massachusetts Chain Fills In For Free Prescriptions For 36 Generic Antibiotics Until March 21

January 6, 2009 10:00 a.m. EST

Quincy, MA (AHN) - Massachusetts-based chain Stop & Shop launched on Friday a free prescription fill up program covering 36 generic antibiotics as part of its health and wellness initiative started in summer. The program, which runs until March 21, will fill in for free 36 generic antibiotics covering nine basic categories at all its pharmacies nationwide.

It covers antibiotics in oral tablet, capsule, liquid and select ophthalmic ointment forms, specifically Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Bacitracin, Ephalexin, Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, Erythromycin, Penicillin and SMZ-TMP.

Faith Weiner, Stop & Shop's director of public affairs, said part of the company's objective is to help American consumers go through difficult times. "We have this economy and it's the time of the season when people could get airborne illnesses. As a company, we just want to show customers we can be a solution and a resource in these troubled economic times," Newsday quoted Weiner.

Included in the initiative was an affordable food summit held at selected outlets during summer and an ongoing prescription drug program in which consumers could buy for 90 days supply of common generic drugs for $9.99.

According to Rodger Rosicki, regional pharmacy manager of Stop & Shop, pharmacists report that many buyers do not fill the entire prescription to save on costs with the hope the patient gets well ahead even without using the entire prescription.

On Oct. 31, Stop & Shop launched the Food for Friends campaign, which aimed to raise $1 million to fund 300 local relief organizations in the Northeast. Under the campaign, paper turkeys were sold by all Stop & Shop outlets for $1, $3 and $5 which served as donations to the program. The paper turkeys were personalized and displayed at Stop & Shop stores.