Drugmakers Pfizer Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. will start selling their popular blood thinner Eliquis directly to patients at a cash-pay price of $346 a month.
Beginning Sept. 8, patients will be able to purchase the drug directly through Eliquis 360 Support, the drugmakers said in a statement on Thursday.
The discounted price is 40% lower than the US list price, Bristol said, but it's higher than the one the Biden administration negotiated last year under the Inflation Reduction Act, a law that gives the government power to negotiate prices through Medicare. Beginning in 2026, the drug will cost $231 a month for patients on Medicare.
Pfizer and Bristol launched the program after discussions with the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on drugmakers to lower the prices of their medicines.
The program is unlikely to benefit a large number of patients. More than 90% of people who take Eliquis have some form of insurance coverage, according to Bristol.
โThis program passes more savings directly to patients and demonstrates our continued focus on identifying innovative solutions that foster the best outcomes for each individual while prioritizing access to care,โ Bristol's Chief Executive Officer Christopher Boerner said in the statement.
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