Amazon Pharmacy Trademark Filed

Amazon may be looking to extend its massive online retail arm into medication with the company filing a trademark for the term ‘Amazon Pharmacy’.

The trademark, first picked up by Sydney Morning Herald, was submitted to IP Australia on 9 January and covers various goods and services within the pharmaceutical market.

Also inside the trademark are details relating to online retail and instore retail services regarding ‘delivery of prescription medication; packaging of medication; pharmacy packaging service that aligns, sorts and packages a patient’s medications by date and time into individual packets’.

It comes following the $1.35 billion acquisition of online pharmacy startup PillPack which Amazon uses for it’s US pharmacy service.

Amazon has been tight-lipped on whether or not it will launch pharmacy services outside of the US.

That being said, Amazon will have an uphill battle as the Australian pharmaceutical sector have strict rules in terms of operation and ownership.

Even the Pharmacy Guild is sceptical of Amazon’s success stating that the majority of Australians ‘continue to source their medicines from their local pharmacy where they can get face-to-face advice and assistance’.

‘Most Australians live within 2.5 km of a local pharmacy, where they can access subsidised medicines immediately – without waiting for a delivery from overseas’.

The trademark is currently waiting for examination, with an expected report to be issued on the 9 July.