The United States requires pharmaceutical companies that they include prices in their ads

Pharmaceutical companies will have to give current prices of their products in TV commercials as part of a new proposal from the Trump administration released Monday.

The new rule, which is open to discussion, would affect any drug covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

Health and Social Services Secretary Alex Azar announced the new proposal just hours after the lobby group representing major pharmaceutical companies announced that its members would begin indirectly to mention the awards in their television commercials.

PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) said its 33 member companies would direct viewers to websites listing the advertised price of drugs they advertise, as well as what consumers can actually expect to pay for these drugs. .

"The consumer TV commercials of PhRMA member companies will soon be directing patients to information about drug costs, including the price of the drug, reimbursable fees, or any other context regarding the potential cost of the drug and the cost of the drug. 39, financial assistance available. , "Said the group in a statement.

Azar said it was not a coincidence that PhRMA had announced this initiative on Monday. They knew that the Trump administration was getting ready to act, he said.

"We appreciate their efforts, but putting information on a website does not amount to correcting it in an advertisement," said Azar in a speech at the National Academy of Medicine.

"For too long, the price of drugs has not been compared to any other market," he said. "We will not wait for an industry with so many contradictory and perverse incentives to reform."

Under the proposed rule, a company should set in writing the price of a typical treatment for drugs such as antibiotics or the cost of 30 days for drugs used in the treatment of chronic diseases such as l 39; hypertension or diabetes.

PhRMA said any attempt to force companies to publish their prices would violate the First Amendment's free expression rights.

But Azar noted that sticker prices for cars had to be published. "One year of the most advertised drugs may cost more than a car," he said.

PhRMa's approach did not impress Ben Wakana, a spokesperson for Patients for Affordable Drugs.

"The PhRMA proposal is a laughable attempt to avoid full transparency," Wakana told NBC News.

"It's a propaganda campaign aimed at controlling the information that consumers see and keeping prices high."

The announcement of Azar also did not impress other consumer groups. Public Citizen called it a "sideshow".

"Requiring such disclosure would help shed light on soaring prices of pharmaceutical companies, but industry leaders are beyond shame.Even with this information, consumers, and to a large extent patients, have a capacity limited or non-existent to choose another product, "said Peter Maybarduk, of the group. A declaration.

According to PhRMA's proposal, television commercials would not include the current price of a drug, but would direct viewers to price-related websites. Stephen Ubl, CEO of PhRMA, said that it was because patients would also get an explanation of the amount of insurance and indications on the payment assistance schemes. "Just including posted prices can be confusing and can discourage consumers from seeking medical care," Ubl told reporters.

Wakana neither the PhRMA's proposal, nor the federal requirement to publish drug prices would do anything to lower those prices.

"If drug companies are worried that their patients will not take their medicines if they see the price, then they should lower their prices," he said.

"The 10 most commonly advertised drugs have list prices ranging from $ 535 to $ 11,000 per month or per usual course of treatment," HHS said in a statement.

"Many patients pay the current price or pay prices based on the price displayed," adds the text. And, he adds, "47% of Americans have highly deductible health plans, under which they often pay the advertised price of a drug until their insurance comes into effect ".

This story has been updated with new content.