Amazon’s digital pharmacy business will expand same-day prescription delivery service to another 2,000 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026, bringing fast medication delivery to millions of customers, part of a broader initiative to speed up delivery across all categories, the company announced on Wednesday.
Last week, Amazon promoted how it set a record for delivery speed in 2025, with over 13 billion items arriving the same or next day globally. In the United States, Prime members received more than 8 billion items the same or next day, up 30% compared to the prior year, with groceries and everyday essentials making up half of the total items.
Amazon says its fast, free-delivery service saved its U.S. Prime members from dozens of trips to a physical store last year.
Amazon Pharmacy will offer free same-day delivery to nearly 4,500 areas once the service is fully rolled out by the end of the year. New service areas will include the states of Idaho and Massachusetts, where Amazon noted that pharmacy closures, staffing shortages and transportation barriers have historically limited access to care.
“Patients shouldn’t have to choose between speed, cost, and convenience when it comes to their medication, regardless of where they live,” said John Love, vice president, Amazon Pharmacy, in a news release. “By combining our pharmacy expertise with our logistics network, we’re removing critical barriers and helping patients start treatment faster — setting a new standard for accessible, digital-forward pharmacy care.”
Amazon Pharmacy customers experienced meaningful delivery improvements in 2025 across a wide range of communities — from dense urban neighborhoods like Manhattan, reached via e-bikes, to suburban areas such as Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, using electric vehicles, and remote locations like Mackinac Island, Michigan, where prescriptions are delivered by ferries and horses, according to the retailer.
In Los Angeles, One Medical patients were able to pick up medications within minutes using Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks located in the lobby before leaving their primary care office, allowing patients to begin treatment immediately after an appointment. Amazon Pharmacy will continue expanding in-person kiosk access across additional locations in 2026, the company said.
Generally, Amazon Pharmacy customers receive medications the next day or within two to three days.
Last year, Amazon expanded the geographical reach of its same-day and next-day delivery to more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural areas in 44 states, the result of a $4 billion investment to build out its rural delivery network.
Amazon said in December that it reached its goal of offering same-day delivery of fresh groceries to 2,300 cities and towns by the end of the year, more than doubling its previous reach. It also began testing 30-minute delivery in Seattle and Philadelphia utilizing micro-fulfillment centers.
The Prime membership program first launched in 2005 offering free two-day delivery on a selection of one million items, primarily made up of DVDs, CDs, and books. Today, members have access to free delivery on over 300 million items across 35 categories.
CVS, by way of comparison, has offered for several years same-day delivery within three hours for eligible prescriptions, as well as one-to-two day delivery at more than 9,000 pharmacy locations. CVS’s on-demand offering includes the option to add front-store items to deliveries in most locations.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
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