Drug Vending Machine at JR Shinjuku Station
Japanese drug company, Taisho Pharmaceutical Company is testing out a vending machine at JR Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, one of the busiest train stations in Japan, selling cold medicine, pain killers, eye drops, and other items through August 31st. This trial is testing the waters before installing them in regions of Japan with few drugstores.
The machine sells about 30 products and is available to use between 10 am and 6 pm. If all goes well Taisho Pharmaceuticals will consider extending the machine's hours after the trial run.
I've never seen a drug store vending machine before, but Japan has vending machines for everything else so I can't say I am surprised.
4 comments:
Hi Pamela: This is interesting, we have vending machines for pain pills and other not over the counter drugs but only in a hospital setting.
Catherine
I had to check further and saw that there is a staffed drugstore nearby. So in this test run, they are using the machine as a quicker way for customers to get a prescription-free drug. No need to queue up inside the store, but should the customer need help, it is near.
How is this going to work in regions with few drugstores? Only prepaid (electronically charged) travel cards can be used for payment.
You need to be pretty well to be sick in Japan, with all the new complicated ways of getting help or medication. One day there is going to be a big backlash to all these 'no human contact' changes. Stalkers, bullying, fraud, no guilty feelings... Is the friendly Japanese smile becoming extinct?
Given all the things sold by machine in Japan, I'm actually surprised that there weren't already vending machines for medicines!
Most types of medication can't be sold outside a pharmacy in Germany, so we could not have these machines here. Not surprised Japan does, though!
Post a Comment