Overview

• Bloomberg reports the administration is considering a government-run site, reportedly dubbed TrumpRx, that would let users search for medications and pay manufacturers directly at discounted out-of-pocket prices.
• Plans for the portal remain under discussion and unconfirmed, with the Department of Health and Human Services referring questions to the White House.
• The exploration of a portal follows letters giving 17 major drugmakers a Sept. 29 deadline to expand direct-to-consumer options and cut U.S. prices to align with other developed nations.
• Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have launched direct-to-consumer offerings, and Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb have signaled they may add similar services.
• Analysts note direct purchasing can lower costs for those able to pay out of pocket, while its benefit to patients who cannot is limited, and industry groups warn proposed drug tariffs could add nearly $51 billion to U.S. costs.