Johnson & Johnson will list drug prices in television commercials

TRENTON, N.J. – Johnson & Johnson announced Thursday that it would begin to give the advertised price of its prescription drugs in television commercials.

The company would be the first drug manufacturer to take this step.

The health giant will start with its popular blood thinner, Xarelto, said Scott White, J & J's North American pharmaceutical marketing manager. By the end of March, the ads will list the pill's list price, as well as than usual fees. The information will appear on the screen at the end of the advertisement and will include a website where people can enter insurance information for more specific costs.

Without insurance, Xarelto costs between $ 450 and $ 540 a month, according to the pharmacy. About one million prescriptions of Xarelto are met in the United States each month.

This undated product image provided by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. shows Xarelto. Johnson & Johnson says it will start giving the advertised price of its prescription drugs in TV commercials. (Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. via AP)

AP

J & J's decision comes amidst a growing surveillance of soaring prices for brand-name drugs – and follows a proposal by the Trump administration to demand catalog prices in TV commercials. The pharmaceutical industry is opposed to the fact that few people pay the highest list prices. The costs borne by some people are however based on list prices.

The leading specialty drug manufacturing group is instead recommending that television ads begin listing a website that shows potential costs and current prices. Last month, Eli Lilly started doing it, in advertisements for Trulicity, a drug for the treatment of diabetes.