13/03/2026
For 102 years, Robertson's Drug Store has proudly served the people of St. George's and the wider East End community. Generations of families have trusted us not only for prescriptions, but for advice, accessibility, and continuity of care. We have built a loyal customer base that values our service and our location - and we value them just as deeply.
Recent changes by Allshores, mandating that certain prescriptions be dispensed exclusively through Phoenix Stores represent a significant shift in how healthcare is accessed on our island. While we sincerely hope that the restricted list will not be extended, we must acknowledge that this remains a possibility.
Beyond the medications currently listed, there is a very real risk that patients may choose to transfer all of their prescriptions for convenience, simply to collect everything from one location. We understand that convenience matters. However, we urge our community to support their independent pharmacies by transferring only those medications subject to this mandatory directive.
Access to and from St. David's and St. George’s is, as we all know, at the mercy of The Causeway. When the Causeway closes due to weather or emergency, the East End can become temporarily isolated. Limiting access to certain medications to pharmacies outside our area creates an obvious and deeply concerning risk to health outcomes for the people we serve. Reliable local access to essential medication is not a luxury - it is a necessity.
We were not consulted, nor were we given the opportunity to match or beat prices for our existing customers. We have no desire to monopolise any medication on this island. We simply seek the opportunity to continue serving the loyal patients who have chosen Robertson’s for years.
There are also important patient-safety considerations. By mandating that prescriptions be separated between different pharmacies, no single pharmacy may have a complete view of a patient’s medication history. Fragmentation of records increases the risk of missed drug interactions, duplication of therapy, and other safety concerns. Continuity of care protects patients. Division of care weakens that safeguard.
Since this issue first arose, Kim Wilson, Bermuda’s Minister of Health, has publicly called on Allshores to defer the implementation of this directive for 60 days while the matter is comprehensively reviewed and properly examined. Many members of the public may understandably believe that this pause has already taken effect. However, at the time of writing, we have received no direct communication confirming such a deferral, nor has there been any public response from Allshores indicating that the Minister’s request will be honoured. This uncertainty only adds to the concern already felt by patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacies across the island.
International experience highlights the need to carefully balance cost management with patient choice.
In Ontario, Canada, a similar specialty drug arrangement introduced in 2024 would have directed certain patients to obtain medications primarily through a single pharmacy network affiliated with Shoppers Drug Mart. The policy was presented as a cost-control measure. However, concerns were quickly raised by patients, healthcare professionals, and government officials regarding reduced competition, limited access, and fragmentation of care. Following public scrutiny, the insurer reversed the decision and restored patients’ ability to access medications through any pharmacy, while continuing to pursue cost-management objectives through other means.
We understand that international examples are often referenced to support policy decisions. However, it is important to consider the full context and outcomes of those examples. The Canadian experience demonstrates that restricting pharmacy choice can raise significant concerns and may ultimately require reconsideration.
We are also aware that comparisons are sometimes drawn to healthcare models in the United States. The U.S. system is widely recognised as one of the most expensive in the world, with access frequently determined by cost and network restrictions. It is reasonable to ask whether that is the direction Bermuda wishes to follow.
This issue extends beyond business. It is about patient choice. It is about people’s money and people’s health decisions being directed without consultation. Healthcare works best when patients retain freedom of choice and when competition encourages service, accountability, and accessibility.
Robertson’s remains committed to serving our community with professionalism, compassion, and integrity - as we have done for more than a century. We remain hopeful that, if we come together as a community, we can ensure that healthcare in Bermuda continues to prioritise access, safety, fairness, and patient choice.
Our door remains open. Our commitment remains strong. And our focus remains, as always, on the health and wellbeing of the people we serve.
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