Senators request answers on structure of “TrumpRx” and how recent drug pricing agreements will impact Medicare and Medicaid benefits 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week led six Senate Democrats in demanding transparency from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the scope, structure, and legal authority of the Trump Administration’s newly unveiled “TrumpRx” platform. In their letter to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Senators requested answers about how the Administration’s recent drug pricing arrangements with pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and AstraZeneca will impact patients, and existing state and federal drug pricing programs. 

The Senators highlighted that while the President’s “TrumpRx” program promises “deep discounts” on brand-name medications, the Administration has not provided any detailed information on the legality and implementation of the program: “While the announcement of TrumpRx emphasized affordability and access, direct-to-patient sales programs help only a fraction of patients—those who can afford to buy their drugs out of pocket. Additionally, these direct-to-consumer discount programs do nothing to address long-term costs.” 

“The Administration’s announcement of a new Most Favored Nation (MFN)-style deal with Pfizer and AstraZeneca included much fanfare but few details about how the program will be implemented. State Medicaid programs and safety net providers rely on the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program to ensure vulnerable patients get the lowest prices,” the Senators continued. “The introduction of a new, preferential pricing arrangement with individual manufacturers, absent a statutory framework, threatens to undermine these longstanding programs.” 

The Senators also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest between TrumpRx and the Trump family’s business dealings: “BlinkRx—a direct-to-patient sales platform of which President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is a board member—will reportedly be facilitating the TrumpRx program. The Wall Street Journal recently reported President Trump’s upcoming ‘Future of Pharmaceuticals’ summit will be co-hosted by BlinkRx and 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm in which Mr. Trump Jr. is a partner. The firm invested in BlinkRx less than a year ago. These connections raise questions about potential conflicts of interest between TrumpRx and the Trump family’s business dealings.” 

“Given the wide-reaching implications for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and the 340B safety-net covered entities, it is imperative that the Department provide Congress and the public with immediate transparency regarding the structure, impact, and legality of these initiatives,” the Senators concluded. 

In addition to Senator Welch, the letter is cosigned by Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). 

Read the full text of the Senators’ letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 

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