WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement on the launch of TrumpRx, a new direct-to-consumer prescription drug platform launched by the Trump Administration: 

“TrumpRx is yet another PR stunt and a money-making scheme for the Trump family. American seniors and patients will (once again) be left holding the bag,” said Senator Welch. “During his campaign, President Trump promised time and time again to bring down the price of prescription drugs. The reality is that he’s done nothing to address the health care crisis we face—if anything, he’s made it worse. President Trump should take real steps to actually lower drug prices, including enforcing a strong crackdown on drug middlemen, supporting expanded Medicare negotiation, bolstering U.S. drug manufacturing, and working with Congressional Democrats to pass drug pricing reforms.” 

This week, Senator Welch, alongside Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) expressing concern about how the OIG will conduct oversight and apply the federal Anti-Kickback Statute to direct-to-consumer platforms such as TrumpRx. 

In November, Senator Welch led six of his colleagues in in demanding transparency from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the scope, structure, and legal authority of TrumpRx. 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.   

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