White House launches TrumpRx; Bristol Myers Squibb cuts Reyataz price to $217
- Bristol Myers Squibb is joining the TrumpRx program to sell certain prescription medicines directly to consumers at reduced prices.
- Bristol Myers Squibb will lower Reyataz's list price from about $1,449 to $217 for program patients.
- Bristol Myers Squibb's implementation details and long-term HIV care implications, including pharmacy access and eligibility, remain unclear.
White House unveils TrumpRx; Bristol Myers Squibb cuts HIV drug price
Bristol Myers Squibb is among a group of drugmakers that the White House says are joining a new Trump administration initiative, TrumpRx, to sell certain prescription medicines directly to consumers at sharply reduced prices. The company is cited as committing to lower the list price of its HIV protease inhibitor Reyataz from about $1,449 to $217 for patients buying through the program, a move officials say is intended to expand access to costly chronic therapies.
The announcement frames Bristol Myers Squibb’s participation as part of a broader push to target high-cost treatments for long‑term conditions, including HIV, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. For BMS, the Reyataz example positions the company on the frontline of a policy effort that the administration touts as saving “billions” for patients and widening direct-to-consumer distribution options outside conventional insurance channels.
Operational details around how BMS will implement the discount through pharmacies, patient eligibility and the long-term commercial and clinical implications for HIV care remain unclear. Drugmakers typically negotiate with pharmacy benefit managers, insurers and distributors; a shift toward program-specific pricing and direct sales could alter existing supply chains and adherence programs that are central to HIV treatment continuity.
Other manufacturers and targeted therapy areas
The White House says at least 16 manufacturers sign agreements to participate, including Amgen, Merck, Novartis and Sanofi, and that the deals cover drugs for diabetes, asthma, hepatitis C and other costly conditions. Officials highlight examples such as Merck reducing the price of diabetes drug Januvia in the program from about $330 to $100, illustrating a focus on chronic, high-volume medicines.
Industry reaction and outstanding questions
The rollout follows other administration health proposals and features public figures including CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and design executive Joe Gebbia at the launch event. GoodRx Chief Executive Wendy Barnes welcomes the move as aligned with efforts to drive down consumer drug costs, while analysts and consumer advocates caution that important specifics — participating pharmacies, formularies, eligibility criteria and the program’s sustainability — are still largely unresolved.
