Spoken Rx ‘Talking’ Prescription RFID Labels Now Available in All CVS Locations

CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health, is now offering Spoken Rx™, its proprietary audio prescription label solution, in all its nearly 10,000 pharmacy locations nationwide, including more than 1,700 CVS Pharmacy locations within Target.

Developed in collaboration with the American Council of the Blind, Spoken Rx is a technology that allows patients to have their prescription information read aloud, designed for those with visual impairments and those who cannot read standard print labels. It is available at no extra cost to patients.

The Spoken Rx feature, available in the CVS Pharmacy App and easily accessible using Voiceover for iOS, or self-voicing with Siri or Google Assistant on a smartphone, can read a specific type of label which is affixed to the bottom of each prescription container for patients who have enrolled in the program.

When these RFID (radio-frequency identification) labels are scanned using the Spoken Rx tab in the CVS App, important prescription information, including patient name, medication name, and directions, will be read aloud in either English or Spanish. Identiv, Inc. powers this groundbreaking program, which CVS developed as part of its commitment to digital health innovation.

“We continue to remove barriers to health care for all patients, and this in-app technology furthers our commitment by providing patients added flexibility and independence,” said Jared Tancrelle, SVP, store operations at CVS Health. “Our patients are increasingly digitally connected, so digital tools like Spoken Rx are a priority for us as we listen to feedback and adapt our suite of pharmacy services and programs to ensure we’re best meeting the needs of all consumers.”

Developed in collaboration with the American Council of the Blind, Spoken Rx launched in 1,700 stores in 2020 and is now available chainwide. “This is a positive step that offers same-day, access for prescriptions filled in CVS stores. Spoken Rx allows for a greater level of privacy, safety, and independence for blind and visually impaired customers,” said Eric Bridges, executive director for the American Council of the Blind.

With the CVS App and a registered CVS account, patients can enroll in Spoken Rx for free over the phone by calling their local pharmacy, or in-store, where a pharmacist can ensure the patient’s app is appropriately set up for the service. For patients without a smart phone, CVS offers an alternative in the form of a stand-alone speaker device that can read the Spoken Rx labels.

Spoken Rx adds to the existing braille, audio, and large-print accessible prescription label options already available through cvs.com.