In more than 40 percent of U.S. counties, residents must drive more than 15 minutes to reach a pharmacy, according to a report released Sept. 9 by telemedicine and pharmacy discount company GoodRx.
The report estimated that over 41 million Americans live in a pharmacy desert. GoodRx identified pharmacy deserts by comparing the average driving distance to the closest pharmacy to the average time it takes to drive 10 miles in a rural area (about 15 minutes) based on the Department of Agriculture's definition of food deserts.
South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska and Kansas have the largest number of counties lacking adequate access to a pharmacy, according to the report.