Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

3 hours ago

US House Republicans Head Toward Final Vote on Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut Bill

4 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

4 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

4 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

4 hours ago

Trump Vowed to Dismantle MS-13. His Deal With Bukele Threatens That Effort.

1 day ago

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

1 day ago

What’s Next for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs After His Sex Trafficking Trial?

1 day ago
TV Pitches for Prescription Drugs Will Have to Include Price
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
May 9, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON — TV pitches for prescription drugs will soon include the price, giving consumers more information upfront as they make medication choices at a time when new drugs can carry anxiety-inducing prices.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday the Trump administration has finalized regulations requiring drug companies to disclose list prices of medications costing more than $35 for a month’s supply.

“What I say to the companies is if you think the cost of your drug will scare people from buying your drugs, then lower your prices,” Azar said. “Transparency for American patients is here.”

In a tweet, President Donald Trump celebrated the announcement, saying: “Historic transparency for American patients is here. If drug companies are ashamed of those prices_lower them!”

Changes to Commercials Expected Later This Year

Drug companies responded that adding prices to their commercials could unintentionally harm patients.

“We are concerned that the administration’s rule requiring list prices in direct-to-consumer television advertising could be confusing for patients and may discourage them from seeking needed medical care,” said the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the main trade group.

But one major firm — Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey — has already started disclosing the cost of its blood thinner Xarelto in TV advertising. And polls indicate many patients are not taking their medications as prescribed because of cost.

Drug pricing details are expected to appear in text toward the end of commercials, when potential side effects are disclosed. TV viewers should notice the change later this year, perhaps as early as the summer.

Government Hoping to Pressure Drugmakers to Lower Prices

The government is hoping that patients armed with prices will start discussing affordability with their doctors, and gradually that will put pressure on drugmakers to keep costs of brand-name drugs in check.

Pricing disclosure was part of a multilevel blueprint President Donald Trump announced last year to try to lower prescription drug costs .

Democrats say it still won’t force drugmakers to lower what they charge, and they want Medicare to negotiate on behalf of consumers.

Leigh Purvis, a pharma expert with AARP’s research division, said disclosure will help dispel a “cloak of darkness” around prices and encourage more informed discussions between patients and their doctors. But she cautioned against expecting too much.

“The overall idea of reducing drug prices is something for which there is no silver bullet,” said Purvis. “This is just one step, one tool in what will have to be a very big arsenal.”

Drug Companies Complain of Free Speech Infringement

Other ideas from the Trump administration include regulations affecting Medicare and legislative proposals in Congress. With the cost of medicines a top concern for voters, Trump and lawmakers of both major political parties want accomplishments they can point to before the 2020 elections.

Drugmakers also complained that the price reveal will infringe on their First Amendment free speech rights by forcing them to disclose prices. It’s unclear if that will prompt a court challenge, but Azar points out that the government has for decades required carmakers to post their sticker prices on vehicles.

“Prices of automobiles are vastly less important to your health and affordability than drugs,” he said.

According to the latest government figures, the 10 most commonly advertised drugs have prices ranging from $488 to $16,938 per month or for a usual course of therapy.

The disclosure requirement will not apply to print or radio ads for the foreseeable future. It encompasses all brand name drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid, which is nearly all.

Enforcement Relies on Drug Companies Suing Each Other

In a twist, enforcement of the rule will rely on drug companies suing each other over violations under a longstanding federal law that governs unfair trade practices.

“There are very large legal practices built on pharma companies suing each other,” Azar said, calling it a “quite effective mechanism.”

Most people count on lower-cost generic drugs to manage their health problems, but the advent of highly effective and extremely expensive medications for once-fatal or intractable diseases has put consumers on edge. Some genetic and cellular-based treatments can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, straining on the budgets of insurers and government programs.

A recent poll from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation found that 1 in 3 Americans said they haven’t taken medications as prescribed because of costs. People who take four or more medications, those who spend $100 a month or more on meds, patients in fair to poor health and middle-aged adults are more likely to report affordability problems.

Although most patients do not pay the full list prices that will be included in ads, experts say those are still important. Patient copays are often based on list prices. And many people who have high-deductible insurance plans pay list prices because their insurance doesn’t start covering until patients spend several thousand dollars of their own money.

In other economically advanced countries, governments negotiate drug prices to keep medications more affordable for patients. But the U.S. has held back from government-set prices.

Azar, who is leading Trump’s efforts on prescription drugs, is a former drug company executive. He held senior posts with Indianapolis-based insulin maker Eli Lilly and Co. after an earlier stint in government service during the George W. Bush administration.

The regulations will take effect 60 days after they’re published in the Federal Register.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Presidential Election Reveals Big Shift in California Voting Patterns. Will It Last?

DON'T MISS

US-Backed 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire Envisages Gradual Return of Hostages, Official Says

DON'T MISS

After Record Democratic Speech, House Republicans Begin Final Vote on Trump Tax-Cut Bill

DON'T MISS

Stocks Hit Record, US Dollar Strengthens After Jobs Data

DON'T MISS

Jeffries Sets Record for Floor Speech Before Vote on Trump Tax Bill

DON'T MISS

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sandra Neredia Jaquez

DON'T MISS

Trump Impounds Billions in Education Funding. For Fresno Unified, It’s $7.1 Million

DON'T MISS

Trump Administration Will Focus on Fed Chair Replacement in Fall, Bessent Says

DON'T MISS

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

UP NEXT

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

UP NEXT

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

UP NEXT

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

UP NEXT

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

UP NEXT

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

UP NEXT

Tesla Executive, Elon Musk Confidant Leaves EV Maker, Bloomberg News Reports

UP NEXT

How a Birthday Boat Ride on Lake Tahoe Turned Tragic

Stocks Hit Record, US Dollar Strengthens After Jobs Data

24 minutes ago

Jeffries Sets Record for Floor Speech Before Vote on Trump Tax Bill

39 minutes ago

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

1 hour ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sandra Neredia Jaquez

1 hour ago

Trump Impounds Billions in Education Funding. For Fresno Unified, It’s $7.1 Million

2 hours ago

Trump Administration Will Focus on Fed Chair Replacement in Fall, Bessent Says

2 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

3 hours ago

US Paves Way to Resume Ethane Exports to China Amid Trade Truce

3 hours ago

US Supreme Court Won’t Consider Reviving Montana Abortion Parental Consent Law

3 hours ago

US Imposes New Sanctions Targeting Iran Oil Trade, Hezbollah, Treasury Dept Says

3 hours ago

Presidential Election Reveals Big Shift in California Voting Patterns. Will It Last?

This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. For the last eight months, ever since Donald Trump wa...

15 minutes ago

15 minutes ago

Presidential Election Reveals Big Shift in California Voting Patterns. Will It Last?

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, shelter in tents, in Gaza City, May 20, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 minutes ago

US-Backed 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire Envisages Gradual Return of Hostages, Official Says

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the dome of the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 3, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
21 minutes ago

After Record Democratic Speech, House Republicans Begin Final Vote on Trump Tax-Cut Bill

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., June 26, 2025. (Reuters File)
24 minutes ago

Stocks Hit Record, US Dollar Strengthens After Jobs Data

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivers a marathon speech in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill, ahead of a vote on final passage of the legislation in the House of Representatives inside the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, in this still image from video in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 3, 2025. U.S. House TV/Handout via Reuters
39 minutes ago

Jeffries Sets Record for Floor Speech Before Vote on Trump Tax Bill

Colby, a classic tabby, is GV Wire's Adoptable Pet of the Week, July 3, 2025
1 hour ago

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

Sandra Neredia Jaquez is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for July 3, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
1 hour ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sandra Neredia Jaquez

2 hours ago

Trump Impounds Billions in Education Funding. For Fresno Unified, It’s $7.1 Million

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend