Users can now ask Amazon questions about common prescriptions. The new feature added through a partnership between Amazon and First Databank will let people ask Alexa for basic information about the 1,500 most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S.
First Databank (FDB) has a large database of drug information, including interactions and prices for both prescription and over-the-counter medications. The company primarily sells its solutions to healthcare providers, but with the new Alexa feature, consumers will have access to some of that information.
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FDB provides answers to simple questions on drugs and their interactions. For example, users could ask, “Alexa, what’s the difference between Tylenol and Advil?” or “Alexa, does Zoloft interact with Aleve?”
For more personal inquiries, such as questions about a specific side effect for a drug, Alexa will direct users to consult a healthcare professional.
FDB President Bob Katter said the two companies began working together after Amazon noticed its users had been asking several questions about medications.
“In some cases, Alexa had been declining to answer. Over time, they’ve been analyzing, what are people asking?” Katter said.
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He did not disclose the terms of the partnership, but said the contract spanned multiple years. FDB could update it in the future to add information on more medications.
FDB and Amazon quietly began rolling out the feature at the end of 2019. The companies have charted out a plan for how to expand and enhance the service, Katter said, though he didn’t share the specifics.
The new service is just one of many healthcare features Amazon has unveiled since it acquired mail-order pharmacy company PillPack for $753 million in 2018. Patients can also look up drug prices on an Alexa app from GoodRx, and can refill prescriptions using their Alexa devices, though the feature is currently limited to customers that use Giant Eagle Pharmacy.
As for FDB, the company said it also is brewing up plans for more consumer-facing features.
“We are in discussions with other tech and consumer oriented companies, and look forward to doing more of these types of partnerships going forward,” Katter said.
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