ROCKFORD, IL — A Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy meant to serve patients with complex needs is closing in Rockford.
Located in a shopping center at 5503 E. State St., Community: A Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy is scheduled to permanently close May 19, according to a company post online.
The post apologizes “for any inconvenience this may cause.” It provides a link to more information about how patients can get prescriptions filled at other pharmacies in the area.
But those pharmacies might not have the same level of service offered at a specialty pharmacy.
“At Walgreens, the term ‘specialty’ covers services and medications for patients with rare, complex and chronic diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease, who often require additional support from their healthcare providers,” Walgreens says on its website. “Walgreens specialty pharmacists have additional training to better understand these specialty medications which have unique storage, temperature, and handling requirements; are given by infusion, injection or taken orally; and require close patient monitoring and ongoing clinical support.”
The company in February issued a Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act, or WARN Act, notice that it is laying off 416 employees from its headquarters in Deerfield, 52 employees in Chicago and one employee in Danville as it reorganizes the company.
It had announced in August 2025 that Walgreens was operating as a private stand-alone company after being acquired by a private equity firm based in New York.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Walgreens specialty pharmacy in Rockford is closing
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
