CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For several years, independent pharmacies and local chain pharmacies have struggled to stay afloat, and that is no different in 2025.

Last week, it was announced that Fruth, who had been doing business in the Mountain State for over seven decades, would be selling all of its pharmacy licenses to Walgreens.

Owner Lynne Fruth, in a statement, claimed that Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBM’s, have been attacking the local pharmacy for years.

“By reimbursing pharmacies less money than a medication costs, PBMs have caused the closure of thousands of pharmacies across America,” Fruth wrote as she announced the decision to sell.

PBMs manage prescription drug benefits for health insurers and employers and essentially manage the drug supply chain. PBMs are often described as

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