Walgreens and FedEX have announced a nationwide launch of their next-day prescription delivery service. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens both in store and online each day. With the announcement of the new launch, Walgreens will now be among the fastest choices for next-day prescription delivery in the United States. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and CVS Health both run more than 9,000 U.S. locations. The online retailer already offers same-day delivery of goods typically sold in the front of drugstores (or the area outside of the pharmacy) and have now begun their latest venture into next-day prescription delivery.

Walgreens has a history of breaking new ground to meet customer needs, from offering self-service stores beginning in the 1950s to developing a 5-star rated mobile app today. The new delivery service launch is now a part of Walgreens Express, which allows eligible customers to prepay and choose between home delivery or express pickup in stores. Patients will now be able to pay an extra $4.99 for next-day services, which is added to their prescription costs, usually covered by insurance companies. Several cities including New York, Chicago, and Dallas will be the first to receive access to this new system, as Walgreens continues to expand into next year. Patients who are enrolled in text alerts will also receive a text notification when their prescriptions are ready. Using their mobile device, patients can now preview their prescriptions and have them delivered right to their home as early as the next day.

Walgreens and FedEx Corp. began a partnership last year when the drugstore chain started offering package drop-off and pick-up services at several thousand stores. Other major companies, such as Amazon, are also taking steps towards branching into pharmacy delivery.