Pharma firms announce direct-to-consumer sales and price cuts in US

STORY: Several pharmaceutical giants have said they will sell drugs directly to patients in the U.S. - and have offered price cuts. That’s after President Donald Trump's calls to bring down drug prices…And cut out so-called "middlemen" like pharmacies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.The Trump administration also plans to launch a government-run website next year - called TrumpRx - to reduce prices for prescription drugs.U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations.So what are the major drugmakers offering? :: AstraZenecaAstraZeneca and the Trump administration signed a deal on October 10.The company will sell some medicines at a discount to the government's Medicaid plan in exchange for tariff relief.Trump said the firm would invest $50 billion in the U.S. for drug development over the next five years. "Today, AstraZeneca is committing to offer all of their prescription medications to Medicaid at most favored nations prices. In other words, the lowest price anywhere in the world. That's what we get. A move that will save American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year.”:: Eli LillyEli Lilly has also made moves. In June it said it would ship the two highest doses of its popular weight-loss drug Zepbound to cash-paying customers on its website, starting early August. :: Novo NordiskThe Danish company Novo Nordisk said in August that it would offer its diabetes drug Ozempic for $499 per month.This would be for eligible cash-paying patients with type 2 diabetes in the U.S. via its own pharmacy. :: PfizerU.S.-based Pfizer and Trump said earlier in October they had cut a deal.The drugmaker agreed to lower prescription drug prices in the Medicaid program - compared to what it charged other countries - in exchange for tariff relief.Pfizer’s CEO said it will invest $70 billion in research and development as well as domestic manufacturing.:: RocheRoche has said it’s considering selling its prescription medicines directly to U.S. consumers to slash patient costs. In July the firm’s CEO spoke of ongoing talks with the U.S. government. :: SanofiFrench drugmaker Sanofi said in September it would offer a month's supply of any of its insulin products for $35 to all U.S. patients with a valid prescription.That’s regardless of insurance status.

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