Giant Eagle Pharmacy Free Antibiotics Program Surpasses $3 Million in Free Prescriptions

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Pittsburgh-based food and fuel retailer Giant Eagle, Inc. launched its free antibiotics program in September of 2009, and is pleased to announce that the program has resulted in more than $3 million in free prescriptions for customers in the company's four-state operating area.

To date, more than 590,000 prescriptions for free antibiotics have been filled by the Giant Eagle Pharmacy, treating common infections that range from strep throat, ear infections and conjunctivitis to bladder infections, pneumonia, acne, urinary tract and skin infections.

"Giant Eagle launched our free antibiotics program as part of our commitment to improving the health and wellness of our communities," said Giant Eagle Vice President of Pharmacy, Randy Heiser.  "We are very pleased to see such great customer acceptance and confidence in Giant Eagle Pharmacy to deliver these vital prescriptions for children and adults."

In Western Pennsylvania stores, Heiser said that approximately 280,000 prescriptions were filled amounting to nearly $1.4 million.  Across all of its pharmacies, the free antibiotics program has resulted in the addition of more than 135,000 new pharmacy customers to Giant Eagle and more than 1.8 million new scripts from current pharmacy customers.

The program is an extension of Giant Eagle's ongoing price reductions efforts and builds on the company's successful $4 generic prescription medication program that has delivered an additional $30 million in annual customer savings.

"With so many families experiencing some level of economic hardship, medical professionals have worried that prescriptions go unfilled because patients simply can't afford them," said Heiser.  "While people are still navigating challenging times, we've seen a very positive response to our free antibiotics offer which clearly indicates it is filling a real need."

The antibiotics available under the program with a valid prescription are Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Cephalexin, Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline Hyclate, Erythromycin, Gentamicin, Penicillin, Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim and Tetracycline.

About Giant Eagle

Giant Eagle Inc., ranked 40 on Forbes magazine's largest private corporations list and recipient of Grocery Headquarters' 2007 Retailer of the Year Award and the EPA's ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year Award, is one of the nation's largest food retailers and food distributors with approximately $8.2 billion in annual sales.  Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle, Inc. has grown to be the number one supermarket retailer in the region with 164 corporate and 58 independently owned and operated supermarkets in addition to 154 fuel and convenience stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, north central West Virginia and Maryland.  

SOURCE Giant Eagle, Inc.