TrumpRx at 90 days: More drugs listed, limited savings

The trend: Three months after TrumpRx launched, the number of discounted prescriptions on the platform has doubled. While it’s unclear how many consumers have used TrumpRx to save on medications, White House officials recently said about 15 million people have visited the website.

Catch up quick: TrumpRx debuted in February as a platform offering discounted medications, accessible either via coupons redeemed at pharmacies or through pharma companies’ direct-to-consumer websites. Lower drug prices stem from deals struck in recent months between the Trump administration and major pharma companies.

What’s changed since TrumpRx’s launch? The marketplace now offers about 85 medications, up from its original 43. Not all pharma companies that made deals with the administration currently offer discounted medicines through TrumpRx. However, they’re expected to do so under those agreements, with more likely to follow as the White House negotiates with additional drugmakers.

Why it matters: TrumpRx offers access to a narrow fraction of the US. drug market—about 0.3% of roughly 24,000 FDA-approved medications are available via TrumpRx.

Plus, TrumpRx prices may not undercut other channels. Many listed drugs have cheaper generic alternatives, according to a February STAT analysis, while people with insurance will almost always pay less for medications than via TrumpRx. For some drugs, such as GLP-1s, TrumpRx prices match those offered at pharmacies.

However, there are instances where consumers could benefit from TrumpRx, such as IVF treatments, which are often not covered by insurance and can be prohibitively expensive without coverage. More consumers search for IVF treatments than almost any other drug on TrumpRx, per CNBC. One EMD Serono IVF treatment was cut by over 80%—from about $1,000 to under $200 for the lowest strength—under the administration’s agreement with the manufacturer.

Implications for drugmakers: For now, TrumpRx will offer limited consumer utility and have minimal impact on participating drugmakers.

Awareness of TrumpRx is rising—up from 20% who knew some or a lot about it in November to 32% in March, according to recent KFF polling. But even among those who use TrumpRx, many will be unsure how it differs from platforms like GoodRx, or whether it actually offers the lowest price for their situation. TrumpRx’s disclaimers for many drugs that prompt users to check their insurance co-pay before proceeding may further add to that confusion.

Meanwhile, pharma companies participating in TrumpRx are largely doing so to curry political favor and avoid tariffs. The initiative itself is unlikely to disrupt their business—unless broader drug pricing agreements between manufacturers and the government are codified into law, which could then force more pharma companies to participate and expand the number of discounted drugs offered through TrumpRx.

This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports. Our Briefings prepare you to start your day informed, to provide critical insights in an important meeting, and to understand the context of what’s happening in your industry. Not a subscriber? Click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.

You've read 0 of 2 free articles this month.

Get more articles - create your free account today!