Prescription start-up acquired by healthcare giant for undisclosed sum

A UK start-up company that helps individuals manage their subscription prescriptions has been snapped up by one of the country’s healthcare giants in a bid to improve its digital healthcare strategy.

Echo, a platform that allows patients to manage and have delivered their repeat prescriptions for free, has been acquired by McKesson UK, which is LloydsPharmacy’s parent company.

In a statement to the public, McKesson UK said the acquisition was a part of its “new digital healthcare strategy, which is centred around providing more simple, convenient ways for customers to manage their health online.”

Adding to this, its chief digital officer, Catherine McDermott, commented: “We know that our customers are always looking for ways to make their lives easier by managing more things online. That’s why growing our digital capabilities is one of our top priorities.

“By working with Echo we are accelerating the development of our digital strategy. The technology they have developed is used by thousands of people already and their operation allows them to fulfil thousands of repeat prescriptions every week.”

Founded in 2015, and presently with 85 members of staff, Echo is one of the three NHS-certified digital platforms that facilitate repeat prescription orders. In 2018, it joined the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme which aims to lessen the gap between the development of new technologies and services, and public access.

CEO of McKesson UK, Toby Anderson, said: “Health secretary Matt Hancock has spoken on numerous occasions about the need for the NHS to invest in digital healthcare solutions, and how technology is a big part of the NHS long-term plan.

“With our existing customer-base and Echo’s tech, we can help people to take more control over how they manage their health online.”

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