Trump Administration To Require Drug Prices In TV Ads

(CNN) — Drug makers will have to start including the list price of medications in their television ads, the Trump administration announced Wednesday. The move is the first rule implemented from the administration’s blueprint to lower drug costs, which was released a year ago. “Requiring the inclusion of drugs’ list prices in TV ads is the single most significant step any administration has taken toward a simple commitment: American patients deserve to know the prices of the healthcare they receive,” said Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. Lowering drug prices has been a central focus of President Donald Trump, as well as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The House is expected to vote on a bipartisan drug price measure Wednesday aimed at making lower-cost generic drugs more available. Experts, however, have questioned the usefulness of providing list prices of medicine in ads, as most people with insurance pay far less. They fear that advertising list prices may scare patients away from drugs they could actually afford with their health insurance coverage. A study published in January found that the ads will be less effective if drug companies can include additional information, such as saying that medications may cost nothing because of insurance coverage or manufacturer discounts. The new requirement is the latest move against the pharmaceutical industry by an administration that’s been friendly to other interests, such a...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News CNN Prescription Drugs Source Type: news