Genentech to sell flu pill directly to some consumers at a discount as Trump pressures drugmakers

Roche's Genentech connected Thursday said it volition merchantability its flu pill, Xofluza, straight to definite patients astatine a discount successful a bid to grow access, becoming the latest institution to wade into the direct-to-consumer space. 

It follows similar moves by different drugmakers to simplify however Americans get their medicines, and comes arsenic companies look unit from the Trump medication to little U.S. cause prices. 

Genentech's caller programme besides launches up of the flu season, which typically peaks successful the wintertime months. The 2024 to 2025 flu play was the astir terrible successful much than a decade, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. 

Genentech's caller programme aims to scope uninsured patients, those with constricted sum oregon radical whose plans don't screen the pill, according to a release. 

The institution volition supply entree to Xofluza done 3 pharmacies with a $50 currency wage option, which is 70% little than the pill's existent database terms earlier insurance. That includes Mark Cuban's direct-to-consumer pharmacy Cost Plus Drug Company, Amazon Pharmacy and Fuze Health's Alto Pharmacy. 

Genentech said same-day location transportation is disposable successful definite markets done the second 2 pharmacies. Home message transportation is besides disposable nationwide done each 3 pharmacies for radical who privation to usage Xofluza arsenic a prevention treatment. 

The pill is simply a single-dose antiviral attraction for radical ages 5 and above, typically taken wrong 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms. Xofluza costs implicit $150 for 1 treatment, according to immoderate drug terms websites. On apical of the caller effort, Genentech besides offers a coupon that allows eligible patients to wage arsenic small arsenic $35 for their Xofluza prescription, with up to $70 disconnected astatine astir pharmacies.

Trump successful July sent letters to 17 drugmakers urging them to instrumentality circumstantial steps to curb costs for patients, including by launching direct-to-consumer income models for their medicines. Companies had to respond by Sept. 29. Since then, Pfizer and AstraZeneca person inked deals with Trump to little cause prices. 

It was portion of his effort to revive a arguable program called the "most favored nation" policy, which aims to necktie the prices of immoderate drugs successful the U.S. to the importantly little ones abroad.