TRENTON, New Jersey -- Johnson & Johnson said Thursday it will start giving the list price of its prescription drugs in television ads.
The company would be the first drugmaker to take that step.
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The health care giant will begin with its popular blood thinner, Xarelto, said Scott White, head of J&J's North American pharmaceutical marketing. By late March, commercials will give the pill's list price, plus typical out-of-pocket costs. The information will appear on screen at the end of the commercial and include a website where people can enter insurance information to get more specific costs.
Without insurance, Xarelto costs $450 to $540 per month, depending on the pharmacy. About 1 million Xarelto prescriptions are filled in the U.S. each month.
J&J's move comes amid growing scrutiny of soaring brand-name drug prices - and follows a Trump administration proposal to require list prices in TV ads. The pharmaceutical industry opposes that, arguing few people pay the high list prices. Some people's out-of-pocket costs, though, are based on list prices.
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The main drugmaker trade group instead recommends TV ads start listing a website that gives possible out-of-pocket costs and list prices. Last month, Eli Lilly started doing so, in ads for diabetes medicine Trulicity.