Publix Pharmacy is adding montelukast, a prescription medication for asthma and allergies, to its Free Medication Program, which provides up to a 90-day supply of certain common prescription medications at no charge to pharmacy customers for as a long as prescribed.
“We’re always happy to help our customers get the medications they need to treat chronic conditions,” said VP of Pharmacy Operations Fred Ottolino. “Montelukast is an excellent addition to the list of generic prescription medications currently in our Free Medication Program, and it’s the first one we’ve added for the treatment of asthma.”
Publix will offer three dosages in its free program: 4 mg and 5 mg chewable tablets for children and 10 mg oral tablets for adults.
Montelukast is used for long-term treatment of asthma in adults and children, and it sometimes is used to treat symptoms of indoor and outdoor allergies. It works by blocking a substance called leukotriene, which can trigger inflammation and allergy symptoms.
Other medications in the Publix Free Medication Program include amlodipine, lisinopril, metformin and five common antibiotics: amoxicillin, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethroprim (SMZ-TMP) and penicillin VK.
Publix is privately owned and operated by its 190,000 employees, with 2015 sales of $32.4 billion. Publix has 1,143 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
