February 12, 2021

The mice can roar

On February 5, the Washington Post ran an op-ed, “Small pharmacies beat big chains at delivering vaccines. Don’t look so shocked” that pointed out how independent pharmacies were able to deliver the Covid-19 vaccine more effectively than chains. In fact…

Independent pharmacies achieve superior results not despite being small, but because they are small. It’s their local ownership that makes the difference. […] Lacking top-heavy bureaucracy and rich with local knowledge and relationships, independent pharmacies possess what you might call economies of small scale.

Still, author Stacy Mitchell points out, U.S. business law is aimed at the “ideology of bigness” that it believes — incorrectly — to be more efficient.

Mitchell works for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, where her focus is “level[ing] the playing field for independent businesses.” And in that vein, ILSR is offering a free webinar with Congressman David Cicilline, “Reining in Monopoly Power: Small Businesses & the Push to Strengthen Antitrust Laws.

Policymakers are beginning to understand that bigger ain’t always better, and you can help keep that message strong. The webinar is February 22 from 1:00-2:15pm EST. Plan to attend!