How one drugstore stays afloat in a "pharmacy desert"

According to a 2024 study from Ohio State, nearly half of all counties in the U.S. have at least one “pharmacy desert:” a 10-mile area without any retail pharmacies. And rural pharmacies are feeling that pressure.

Julie Perkins is a pharmacist and the owner of Batson’s Drug Store and Family Market in Howard, Kansas. Batson’s is the only pharmacy in the entire county, and despite the need for her services, Perkins says she’s feeling the squeeze from larger companies that control drug prices.

“There are some scripts that I will fill that I get 12 cents over what it costs me to buy that,” Perkins said. “That doesn't even pay for my label, my lid, and the bottle.”

And those thin margins may eventually spell an end for business.

“The clientele we have are very faithful,” she said. “They all say they need me, but that doesn't pay the bills.”

Listen in the player above to hear how Perkins has tried to make ends meet, and what it takes to keep the store afloat.