Nearly 30% of US drugstores closed in one decade, study shows

AP Health Writer

New research shows that nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade had closed by 2021. A study published Tuesday in Health Affairs says Black and Latino neighborhoods were most vulnerable to the retail pharmacy closures, which can chip away at already-limited care options in those communities. Many drugstores are continuing to struggle, and the trend has potentially gained momentum since the study timeframe. Since 2021, the major chains Walgreens and CVS have closed hundreds of additional stores, and Rite Aid shrank as it went through a bankruptcy reorganization.