Walgreens Introduces Owned Brand Arthritis Pain Relief Gel Alongside Personalized Pain Management Support

Walgreens brand diclofenac gel, prescription-strength arthritis pain relief in topical form, now available nationwide

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens today announced new offerings to support people with chronic and acute pain, including the launch of Walgreens brand diclofenac gel, an over-the-counter original prescription-strength arthritis pain relief in topical form. In addition, patients can receive free one-on-one consultations with Walgreens pharmacists who received specialized training in providing empathetic care and personalized pain management solutions.

“Our comprehensive pain training, combined with an assortment of innovative pain solutions, ensure patients receive personalized, empathetic care from our pharmacists based on each patient’s situation, pain type and history,” said Rina Shah, group vice president, specialty and retail pharmacy operations, Walgreens. “In addition to pain management, our pharmacists receive specialized training to help patients manage a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes and mental health. During a time when community care is more important than ever before, patients can rest assured that their local Walgreens pharmacy is a trusted resource for the support, expertise and products they need.”

Walgreens pharmacists are specially trained to empathetically engage with patients and offer them comprehensive, personalized options. The training program was developed with support from the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic disease. Working with patients, Walgreens pharmacists explore an assortment of differentiated pain management solutions, including OTC medications, nonpharmacologic options, innovative specialty medications and light and vibration therapies, to help address pain at any point in the patient’s journey. Since the training launched in December 2019, Walgreens pharmacists have conducted more than 30,000 pain consultations.

“Pain is very personal and can be very isolating,” said Seth D. Ginsberg, co-founder and president of the Global Healthy Living Foundation. “Patients now have a caring, trained healthcare professional in their community Walgreens pharmacy to turn to for help navigating their pain.”

Patients can receive pain consultations from Walgreens pharmacists in store, over the phone and via Pharmacy Chat, which is available online and through the Walgreens app.

About Walgreens Pain Solutions and Therapies

Walgreens pain relief options include diclofenac gel, which can be used to treat pain at its source – hand, wrist, elbow, foot, ankle or knee – and is available at Walgreens and Walgreens.com. Walgreens also offers vibration and light therapy solutions in as many as 5,400 stores and online.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy. Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health, beauty and retail destination supporting communities across the country, and was named to FORTUNE* magazine’s 2019 Companies that Change the World list. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day. As of August 31, 2019, Walgreens operates 9,277 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Walgreens also provides specialty pharmacy and mail services and offers in-store clinics and other health care services throughout the United States, most of which are operated by our health care strategic partners.

*© 2019, Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under license.

About Global Healthy Living Foundation

The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people living with chronic illnesses (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disease) by advocating for improved access to health care at the community, state, and federal levels, and amplifying education and awareness efforts within its social media framework. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the digital arthritis community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, activism and patient-centered research through ArthritisPower® (ArthritisPower.org), the first ever patient-led, patient-centered research registry for joint, bone, and inflammatory skin conditions. GHLF also hosts PainSpot (PainSpot.org), a digital risk assessment tool for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. Visit www.ghlf.org for more information.