The closure of a chain pharmacy in north St. Louis is getting the attention of Congresswoman Cori Bush.
She sent a letter to the CEO, requesting the company "reverse" its decision to close the store on North Grand in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood.
Bush says the move will "worsen pharmacy deserts." As it stands, 45,000 people in the city are at least a half-mile from a pharmacy. Most are Black.
"The most medically vulnerable patients in our communities include people with disabilities, seniors, and low-income residents," Bush said in a statement. "This will particularly impact people with mobility or transportation barriers, or those who do not have reliable internet access or fluency to order online."
She also says large, chain pharmacies' pursuit of market share through consolidation and acquisition has led to there being fewer or no local options left to fill the gap after a big company like Walgreens leaves.
Walgreens said in a statement that it is providing patients with options to transition their prescriptions to other locations.
"We apologize for the inconvenience. We know that our customers and patients rely on our stores and trust our team members for their healthcare needs," the statement said.
Bush sent a list of questions, including: "What are the metrics used to determine which Walgreens pharmacies remain open in an urban area?" She says she wants a response from Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth by April 5th. Wentworth was previously CEO of St. Louis County-based Express Scripts.
