Publix reveals new committment to inundate the environment with antibiotics

I have much of my time as a student working as a Pharmacy Technician in order to pay the bills. As much I loved directing the elderly population to our store restroom and informing people that the shaving supplies were on the isle with the large sign that says shaving supplies, I can't say that I am upset about not spending my time there now.

I remember Wal-Mart launching the $4 generic drug program and the backlashed it fueled throughout the pharmacy community. Stores like Eckerd, Rite-Aid, CVS, and Kerr Drug (discount pharmacy chains) have trouble competing with programs such as this because they don't have quite the opportunity as large discount retailers to recoup the loss before the customer exits the store. You know you stop by Wal-Mart, you're waiting on your prescription, you realize your underwear has become a bit worn, you stop over a pick up some more. On the way to the underwear the kids start screaming you figure maybe you'll pick up a couple of boxes of wine to relax with that night. You think, "Hey I'm better than this", and decide to class things up a bit because seriously you shouldn't have to drink such quality wine from a mason jar?. You go to get some nice red wine glasses realize they have a 20 pack and think, "Hey I should have a party!". Three hours and $250 later you leave Wal-Mart wondering if you actually saved any money.

So now, in order to attract customers, the grocery retailer Publix has decided to provide a free ($0) 14-day supply of several common antibiotics to customers of any age with a doctor's prescription. Now I am sure this will cause upper-management in pharmacy chains around the country to flounder for a competitive solution, and I am sure the poor non-chain local drug chains will continue to watch their profits dip further while hoping that superior customer service and hometown appeal will keep them afloat. But what does all this mean for the environment.

The United Nations System Wide Earth Watch has published a statement in which they said, "Heavy use of antibiotics in people and animals, encouraged by commercial pressures, risks causing significant antibiotic contamination of the natural environment and consequent development of resistance in communities of non-disease organisms." I would qualify giving away free drugs as a significant commercial pressure that could proliferate the use of antibiotics through removing a hurdle when it comes time for consumers to obtain them. As Bill Bishop, chairman of Willard Bishop, a supermarket consulting firm in Barrington, Ill points out, "Nothing sells like free".

I realize that antibiotics are vital to human health and there are problems with health care cost in this country. But, having worked in a pharmacy, antibiotics were not typically a drug that people had difficulty collecting the money for. Social welfare agencies and even non-profit groups will often gladly provide assistance for these drug purchases when necessary. Instead I think this program will cause consumers to ask for such drugs (they can be requested without a doctors visit via a phone call to the office) at much for frequent intervals and will allow them to avoid thinking about whether or not they actually need the prescription. The fast-paced lifestyle that we find ourselves in allows little time for illness and by providing a free quick fix for illness, I think that Publix is just going to exacerbate the problem of antibiotics in rivers and groundwater supplies by making a readily available and over used medical treatment more over prescribed. On a weekly basis I saw individuals come into our store to get an antibiotic for a cough they had developed two days ago or a cold that they felt coming on. Hell, I'll be tempted to do it if I think I can get some free relief.