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Sunday, May 31, 2020

Did the Postal Service deliver more than a billion prescriptions in 2019?

Jacqueline Agustin, Gigafact Foundry
yes

The U.S. Postal Service is seeking Congressional funding to help offset the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As part of those efforts, leaders of unions representing its 640,000 employees are pointing out the importance of various capabilities of its services.

"The USPS also plays an important role in the U.S. health care system by handling 1.2 billion prescription drug shipments a year – that’s nearly 4 million every day, six days a week," the leaders said in an April 7 letter to the GOP Congressional leadership. "It also delivers hundreds of millions of lab tests and medical supply shipments – from blood testing strips and insulin needles to contact lenses."

The 1.2 billion prescription drug shipments represent a large share of the U.S. 4.38 billion retail prescriptions in 2019.

Sources

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