Patients can soon pick up their meds from vending machines at Amazon One Medical offices

Patients at Amazon One Medical offices will soon be able to get their prescriptions from vending machines there instead of at pharmacies.

The kiosks will open starting in December at multiple Amazon One Medical offices in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the commerce giant said Wednesday. 

The medication vending machines will offer commonly prescribed medicine and devices, such as inhalers, antibiotics and blood pressure medication. Flu and allergy medication will be stocked in the kiosks on a seasonal basis, according to CBS News.

Medicine that needs to be refrigerated won’t be available in the machines, according to TechCrunch.

Patients who have prescriptions sent to Amazon Pharmacy in their app will have the option to pick up their order, which is looked over by an Amazon pharmacist, from the kiosk. Patients with questions can speak by video or phone to a druggist, Amazon said.

“By bringing the pharmacy directly to the point of care, we’re removing a critical barrier and helping patients start their treatment when it matters most — right away,” Amazon Pharmacy Vice President of Operations Hannah McClellan said.

After the initial rollout in the Los Angeles area, Amazon plans to expand its kiosk program.

As Amazon prepares to launch the kiosks, some of America’s pharmacy chains are shedding locations.

Walgreens has closed 500 stores in the past year and CVS has shuttered more than 1,000 in the past four years, according to TechCrunch. Rite Aid closed its 89 remaining stores last week, The New York Times reported.