Amazon's India foray into medicine delivery is in-line with its global healthcare bets

• Currently, under a pilot run in Bengaluru, Amazon Pharmacy is offering home medical supplies, healthcare packages, prescription medication, and healthcare devices.
• Amazon’s foray into medicine delivery comes at a time when India already has startups like NetMeds, Medlife, 1mg, Pharmeasy, along with Reliance Jio eyeing to enter the market.
• Globally, in 2018, Amazon had acquired the US-based online pharmacy startup Pillpack for $753 million.

Global e-commerce giant Amazon has launched online pharmacy services in India. Currently, under a pilot run in Bengaluru, Amazon Pharmacy is offering home medical supplies, healthcare packages, prescription medication, and healthcare devices, according to Entrackr.

“As a part of our commitment to fulfill the needs of customers, we are launching Amazon Pharmacy in Bangalore allowing customers to order prescription-based medication in addition to over-the-counter medicines, basic health devices, and Ayurveda medication from certified sellers. This is particularly relevant in present times as it will help customers meet their essential needs while staying safe at home,” said an Amazon spokesperson.

India’s health-tech industry is expected to grow to $372 billion by 2022 and is expected to create 40 million jobs by 2030, according to a report by Invest India.

Amazon’s foray into medicine delivery comes at a time when India already has startups like NetMeds, Medlife, 1mg, Pharmeasy, and others, which have made a mark in the segment. Additionally, Reliance Jio has also been eyeing the medicine delivery segment and has reportedly been in talks with NetMeds for a possible acquisition.

So while Amazon and Reliance could possibly be preparing for another face-off, Amazon comes with the experience of medicine delivery from its global operations. In 2018, Amazon had acquired the US-based online pharmacy startup Pillpack for $753 million. Through the acquisition, the e-commerce giant has been looking at selling prescribed medicines to health plans and employers.

Globally, its medicine unit is called Amazon Care. In the US, Amazon Alexa is also HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of the US) compliant, which means that it can access healthcare information and book doctor’s appointments or access reports of individuals.

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