savannah_boy

Why can't I find a regular pharmacy in a US airport? It would seem a profitable idea. We were stuck in Newark recently and it would have been a godsend. In the land of 24/7 availability it seems weird as there is a Riteaid or CVS on every other corner in any given city.

tonrob

Because US airports are shit.

Casual Observer

Why on earth would we want unhealthy people to fly and contaminate us with their awful germs? Build it and they will come. Keeping the airports drug store free is the way to go and keep the sick and weak away from us posh travelling people. It is bad enough that they let the people in economy mingle with the rest of us. Have you lost your mind?

tonrob

I thought they put the sick and the weak in those cattle pens down the back of the aircraft?

savannah_boy

I'm just talking about extra toothpaste and nappies etc incase of a layover because of bad weather. Not too much to ask!

Casual Observer

We do not need old people with poor dental hygiene and wearing depends at the airports either. That is why we have Florida. Get a grip man

The real answer however is that they attract KANGAROOS

Englishmum

I think you can buy a small tube of toothpaste post-security at the Hudson News shops at the three terminals or from those vending machines in the washroom areas at the toilets....but I've never seen nappies being sold at Newark (or any US airport).

It is an excellent idea - however I doubt that prescription drugs could be prescribed (I don't think they are at Boots in UK airports?) but even a kiosk selling things like nappies, contact lens cases/solutions, plasters (band aids), pain relievers eg. Advil, antiseptic ointment, insect repellent, toothbrushes etc. at each terminal post-security would be very useful.

Maybe you could fire off a suggestion to the store operators at EWR (Westfield Concession Management) and to the owners of Newark airport, the Port Authority of NY and NJ - there are contact details on each link.

http://www.shopnewarkterminalc.com/default.aspx

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-s...-services.html (List of Retail stores at all terminals).

scrubbedexpat091

JFK, Newark and San Francisco all used to have, possibly still do have a pharmacy, but looking at the website of the company who used to run it, it appears they may no longer have a pharmacy, and might just be a general health and beauty store now.

http://hhbeauty.com/about-harmony

If they did change over from a pharmacy and no longer provide that service, then my guess is there is no market for airport pharmacies.



Looks around the 2007-2008 that Harmony Pharmacy was opening around the country in several airports, but based on their website, it appears they may no longer be a pharmacy.

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/...es+Proliferate

Link to an article from 2008 about it.

Yorkieabroad

I have bought nappies in IAH before, although it's a long time since I've needed them for my kids, and hopefully an even longer time before I will need them for myself, so I've not kept up on the stock levels. There also used to be a vending machine for them in the gents next to the changing table, though I never used it, and can't say whether it is still there.

This Christmas we bought lipsyl there for my son who gets very dry on flights, and had forgotten his. The lipsyl was on a section that also sold,small bottles of pain killer, bandaids, travel size mouthwash, shower gel, etc.

Yet again, more proof that Houston is not sh!t and you should all move here. Or at least ensure that all flights have a connection through houston on second thoughts, don't because we're already full.

joto

I've seen seen very small packs of Advil, travel sickness etc, type tablets in Hudson News in Denver Airport, but just 2 or4 tablets in a pack. It would be better having a small pharmacy in airports rather than all the gift stores where not many people shop.

yellowroom

I have wondered too why there aren't CVS/Walgreen type shops in US airports. I usually call into Boots at a UK airport when traveling because I've inevitably forgotten shampoo or suncream or want to stock up on some "illicit" codeine containing products! The tiny section of products in Hudson news just doesn't cut it.

Yorkieabroad

Absolutely no relevance to airports, but we went on a tour of the Pentagon last summer and right in front of you just after security there was a full size CVS, plus dry cleaners, post office, fast food etc. gave me a bit of a "huh, didn't expect that " moment, but makes sense when you think about it.

As you were.

Hotscot

I think you won't have a pharmacy since there would need to be a Pharmacist present.
And the Pharmacist's role and salary would be related to filling prescriptions.

Probably not a lot of people will choose to fill their prescriptions at the airport.

(Maybe you just mean a small mart type place?)

savannah_boy

I was thinking like the Boots they have at BHX airport. Someone else said no need? Well the same could be said for an airport restaurant because you should bring your own food! lol

yellowroom

they manage it in the UK - you still need to have a qualified pharmacist present to sell the "Pharmacist sale only" (ie "behind the counter") drugs. Dispensing prescriptions is irrelevant

The difference is that over here in the US, there are only two classifications of drugs - general sales (ie buy anywhere) and prescription only. We don't have the "pharmacist sale only" classification.

And anyway, still doesn't answer the question as to why there isn't somewhere selling decent ranges of baby food and anthihistamines and suncream and nappies and shampoo and tampax and all the other sorts of general healthcare periphery that you can need in an emergency