PhRMA members to provide cost info in TV ads
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America member companies' direct-to-consumer television advertisements will soon direct patients to information about medicine costs, including the list price of the medicine, out-of-pocket costs, or other context about the potential cost of the medicine and available financial assistance.
Additionally, PhRMA said the biopharmaceutical industry also will launch a new platform that will provide patients, caregivers and providers with cost and financial assistance information for brand-name medicines, as well as other patient support resources.
“Our member companies are taking a new approach to how they communicate about medicines in DTC television advertisements to make it easier for patients to access information about medicine costs,” PhRMA president and CEO Stephen Ubl said. “The Administration and Congress have called on our industry to provide cost information in DTC advertisements, and our members are voluntarily stepping up to the plate.”
On Oct. 2, the PhRMA board of directors adopted enhancements to PhRMA’s voluntary DTC principles, Guiding Principles on Direct-to-Consumer Advertisements About Prescription Medicines — originally adopted in 2006.
The DTC principles have been expanded to include a new guiding principle stating, “All DTC television advertising that identifies a medicine by name should include direction as to where patients can find information about the cost of the medicine, such as a company-developed website, including the list price and average, estimated, or typical patient out-of-pocket costs, or other context about the potential cost of the medicine.”
The revised principles become effective on April 15, 2019, but changes to PhRMA members’ DTC television advertisements will begin in the coming months, the organization said.
Additionally, PhRMA said the biopharmaceutical industry also will launch a new platform that will provide patients, caregivers and providers with cost and financial assistance information for brand-name medicines, as well as other patient support resources.
“Our member companies are taking a new approach to how they communicate about medicines in DTC television advertisements to make it easier for patients to access information about medicine costs,” PhRMA president and CEO Stephen Ubl said. “The Administration and Congress have called on our industry to provide cost information in DTC advertisements, and our members are voluntarily stepping up to the plate.”
On Oct. 2, the PhRMA board of directors adopted enhancements to PhRMA’s voluntary DTC principles, Guiding Principles on Direct-to-Consumer Advertisements About Prescription Medicines — originally adopted in 2006.
The DTC principles have been expanded to include a new guiding principle stating, “All DTC television advertising that identifies a medicine by name should include direction as to where patients can find information about the cost of the medicine, such as a company-developed website, including the list price and average, estimated, or typical patient out-of-pocket costs, or other context about the potential cost of the medicine.”
The revised principles become effective on April 15, 2019, but changes to PhRMA members’ DTC television advertisements will begin in the coming months, the organization said.