Avita stood out to us for their strong 340B program. If you’re unfamiliar, the 340B Drug Pricing Program allows some healthcare providers to buy outpatient drugs at much lower prices. The goal is to pass those savings on to underserved patients. 

We see this as a big win for vulnerable communities in Portland, especially when cost is one of the biggest barriers in healthcare. 

We also appreciate how Avita approaches care for the LGBTQ+ community. Their culturally competent staff understands the unique challenges these patients face and are respectful every step of the way. 

We’ve also heard from many how helpful Avita’s AAHIVP-certified (American Academy of HIV Medicine HIV Pharmacists) pharmacists are. They’re available to talk about side effects, answer questions, and offer guidance on PrEP.

Avita’s services go beyond just filling prescriptions too. Their team is available 24/7, which is very important for folks who may need help outside regular business hours.

However, some patients have told us that insurance approvals or specialty meds can take a few weeks to process. 

Always happy with the service

“I’ve been using Avita for about 6 months and I’m always happy with the service I receive over the phone and in person.”

• Ezra Case, Google Reviews

Always friendly, helpful, and ready with my medications

”The staff at Avita are always friendly, helpful, and ready with my medications. In the event I have had an issue, say with getting a prescription filled or dropped the ball and needed medication quickly, like for going on vacation, they have always been great at helping me. Justine has always been so kind and the whole staff at this pharmacy is wonderful.“

• LWK, Google Reviews

We love that Brooklyn Pharmacy turns prescription care into something straightforward and easy to manage. Their medication synchronization program syncs up all your meds so you only swing by once every three months (or whatever your insurance allows). 

That same practical vibe carries over to their vaccine services, which families rave about—no need to book ahead for everything, from flu shots to shingles vaccines. 

Plus, if you don’t have insurance, their vaccine prices won‘t hit you hard in the wallet. We find the pharmacy a smart spot for keeping everyone protected without the stress. 

We love that they handle compounding too, whipping up custom meds for those with specialized needs. Just a heads up, though—insurance doesn’t cover it here, so you’ll want to factor that in. 

That aside, we like that they provide quick appointments (under 30 min) for prescribing birth control or helping with smoking cessation. People told us they appreciate the non-judgmental support their pharmacists provide.

And to make things smoother, their RX365 app lets you handle refills and messages super easily—though fair warning, the first time we tried navigating it, it was a bit clunky. 

They’re always on top of it 

“Brooklyn Pharmacy is truly the best. They’re always on top of it and go above and beyond to help their patients. They are extremely communicative, transparent, efficient, and knowledgeable, and everyone who I have interacted with there has been so kind and helpful. I had to leave a review because I have never had a better experience with a pharmacy. They have come through for me more than once when I was in a pinch because other, larger pharmacies weren’t able to fill a medication or didn’t communicate with me in a timely manner and I had to scramble to get my medication on time. It’s clear that they genuinely care about their patients and are also just really good at what they do.”

• Miranda, Google Reviews

Never want to use another pharmacy

“Never want to use another pharmacy! They’re the best. Feels like a true neighborhood business that provides quality service. For a pharmacy? Almost unheard of in this age. Please never go away!”

• Juliet Hiebler, Google Reviews

LeCare Pharmacy is walk-in only, so there are no appointments to stress over at this pharmacy. 

We’re also big fans of how accommodating they are with insurance, taking just about every plan except Kaiser. Those who do pay out of pocket praise them for being upfront about their costs.

Many people also really like their massive range of vaccine options, which cover the everyday flu shots to those essential travel ones like Typhoid and Hep A. 

And if you’re juggling meds for the whole family, we like how they use the convenient RXLocal app. Through it, you can breeze through refills, set up reminders, and message the pharmacist directly. 

Adding to that personalized care, people appreciate that LeCare can whip up custom solutions for pain medications or even something tailored to your pet. 

To top it off, we’re all about the quirky convenience of their shared parking lot with Trader Joe’s. We like how you can knock out your prescriptions and groceries in one go, though the parking lot does get a bit crowded in the afternoon. 

They proactively check my vaccination records 

“I love this pharmacy! They are so helpful, both for individuals and in their public health mission. They call me if there are issues with any of my prescriptions and try to help. And they proactively check my vaccination records to see if I need any, and then offer them. Everyone who works there is kind and helpful.”

• Rhiannon Patterson, Google Reviews 

Soooo skilled

“The pharmacist who does the vaccinations there is soooo skilled. Not only did it not hurt, I hardly even felt it. Seriously. He’s a magician. And super nice. Plus it’s a small, family-owned business and the vibe is much nicer vibe than the chain stores.”

• Erin O, Google Reviews

Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy is the go-to spot for custom medication solutions, aka compounding, because they do just about every kind of special meds here.

We particularly chose them for their expertise in hormone therapy for both women and men. It’s something we don’t see offered by many pharmacies. 

Patients told us they always feel like their care and safety are top priorities, praising the clean rooms and the use of sterile injectables. 

When it comes to families, parents especially appreciate how Lloyd Central creates kid-friendly medications without unnecessary dyes or fillers. Say goodbye to battles over bitter syrups or hard-to-swallow pills. 

This attentiveness extends to every aspect of their service, including a thorough review of your medical history. 

Before doing anything, we like that the staff will call to double-check details from your file. They’ll also walk you through your medication and ensure you feel fully informed and comfortable every step of the way. 

The only catch is that Lloyd Central doesn’t handle traditional retail prescriptions. If you’re just looking for a quick refill on a common drug, you’ll need to head elsewhere. But for personalized, expertly compounded medications, we think they’re hard to beat. 

Make it so easy to manage my compounded prescription

”I love the people here. They make it so easy to manage my compounded prescription. I’m able to request refills via text, and they mail it to my house. They’re always so easy to get a hold of if I have any issues or questions and the staff is so courteous and friendly.”

• Emerald Jones, Google Reviews

They reach out to my doctor and expedite the prescription 

“The staff at Lloyd Center Compounding Pharmacy are so helpful, personable and kind, even when I ask questions I’m sure they’ve answered a million times, they’re patient and explain things really well. I also appreciate the fact that they reach out to my doctor and expedite the prescription refill process. I am so thankful for the work they do, and the timeliness of everything. Awesome service and just lovely people.”

• Kate Jackman, Google Reviews 

We love that Genoa Healthcare works with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, HIV/AIDS, and other chronic issues. 

They offer specialized support that really makes a difference. For example, patients with HIV/AIDS love the discretion of the pharmacists and their kindness in helping relieve their symptoms. 

Mental health patients love the specialized pharmacists because they give guidance on complex regimens and go above and beyond with compassionate advice that helps with the emotional side of treatment. 

On top of that, we like their CARE Packaging—pre-filled pill organizers that make tracking multiple medications easy. Best of all, they offer this service for free. 

And if getting to the pharmacy is a challenge, Genova has you covered. We like that they mail your medications to you so you never have to miss a dose. 

But some people have complained that they run out of prescriptions quickly, so we recommend calling ahead to check availability. Luckily, their customer service is 24/7.

Make it so easy to manage your prescriptions 

“I switched to Genoa pharmacy (located inside Cascadia Healthcare on MLK BLVD) because I was so fed up with Fred Meyer pharmacy! The people working at Genoa are so pleasant and helpful.  They make it so easy to manage your prescriptions plus they mail my prescriptions to my house and I generally have them the next day!  They even call Before sending to find out if anything else is needed. They also helped me get my mother in law’s prescriptions set up in those daily packs, not having to sort her pills and set them up for the month has been such a stress reliever! We’ve had a couple hiccups but that’s to be expected and I am so happy that I switched!!”

• Kathie Porter, Google Reviews

Never been to a better pharmacy

“I’ve never been to a better pharmacy. Always kind, prompt, caring, patient, and informative. They answer the phones and they call you back relatively quickly. It’s hard to find even one of these qualities in many other pharmacies, but Genoa hits every mark.“

• Brandon Spellman, Google Reviews