Hi folks,

I don't want to redebate the whether stocking antibiotics in your first aid kit is a good idea, but for those of you who would like to but are put off by the cost, this may be of interest:

Stop and Shop offers free antibiotics

You still need a perscription, but the price sure is right for something you may or may not wind up using.

Hope this is helpful to someone out there!

Is it just me, or does this sound rather stupid?

These are to be self-administered, based on perceived need by people who don't know diddly squat?

What we DON'T need is more antibiotics to use as a remedy for the common cold, which doesn't respond to antibiotics, anyway. Nor do we need more antibiotics so we become more resistant to them when we need them.

Sue

The site looks to be a referral system or some type of 3rd party network not a direct company ? Hmmmm

They appear to be a chain of drugstores, and it says only that they are filling 14 day prescriptions for free.
Most antibiotics are pretty inexpensive, so it would make a good loss leader for them.
Once you go to their store they expect you to buy more stuff.

I think it's a case of following suit.

In this area (Northern Virginia) I've seen signs at Wegman's, Giant, Safeway, and if I'm not mistaken Wal-Mart offering the same free 14 days worth of antibiotics at their Pharmacies.

When Wal-Mart started their $4.00 prescriptions, most of the other store pharmacies followed to keep up. I think that might be what is happening here.

I'm not a fan of some of Wal-Mart's practices, but the one subscription that used to cost me $90.00 a month now only costs me $4.00 and that was forced on the local store because of Wally.

"suspicious" is the word that comes to my mind.

If I had American style health care that pays for nothing I would likely consider this to be a good deal.
But I am a Canadian and this stuff is dirt cheap to us.
So cheap that we do not even think about using veterinarian antibiotics from the feed store.

Looks like a plan to "Get you in the Door" so you can buy other items from the store. "Loss Leader " marketing. But would I want a store full of sick people??

Suspicious?

Stop and Shop is a well known and respected chain of supermarkets (at least in the northeast).

They are not just giving out drugs - you still need a perscription from your doctor, just like any pharmacy.

I know that Walmart is doing this for $4, but free is less than $4, so I thought it might be useful to someone.

Just because the business rationale is that of a "loss leader" to get you in the store, doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of it. You are under no obligation to buy anything else.

Am I missing something?

The only thing you are missing is that it is probably their time of the month and they are all a bit cranky.
They are likely still nursing their Xmas Season credit card hangovers, it is about the time they would see the bills coming in the mail.

If I needed a prescription for antibiotics filled and lived close to one of the Stop and Shop stores I would likely get it filled there.
One drug store is pretty much like another one.

I don't have a problem with it and if we had a stop and shop in my area, I's take advantage of it.

No, I don't think you're missing anything. I'm just naturally suspicious of anything labeled "free" by a corporation.

That's just me, though.

Hmmm, I prefer a system that "pays for nothing" over one that does nothing.

As stated, it's not a door prize - you don't walk in & they hand you a bottle of cephalexin.

But, if you need a prescription for an antibiotic filled, you may be able to get it filled for free at the Stop & Shop pharmacy (I don't think it applies to ALL antibiotics, but quite a few of the most common ones).

Many MD's must be idiots and give out to many scripts then. If a person has a script, when they can get free RX drugs, why should they pay? Since a script is needed, why blame the person for trying to save money.

Giant Food in VA/MD/DC/PA is the same chain as Stop & Shop. Royal Ahold, which owns Stop & Shop, bought Giant out a few years ago.

While I also worry about antibiotic overuse (and more specifically, resistance build-up), you still have to have a prescription, so it's not a door prize as others have said. In particular, the whole range of pink goop for kids (amoxicillin) is included so that has to be good for people with money problems, and who doesn't these days?

The "eye openers" included on the list are ciprofloxacin and doxycycline... aren't these the two we should stockpile against anthrax or bird flu, etc? I was thinking about asking my primary care physician about getting a prescription, but I could see him laughing me out of his office. Besides, I'd get the prescription but not know when to take it, or it would expire befor being needed and I'd be contributing to keeping the drug unavailable to someone else who needed it...

Thanks for the tip Jesselp, I'm not sure what everyone is so uptight about. (Susan is always cranky BTW ) If you have a Dr's prescription and are in need of antibiotics, why pay for them if you don't have to? Doesn't sound like a scam to me. Sure, they want you to buy other items while you're there, but what company doesn't?