At FinancialMediaGuide, we note that pharmaceutical giant Roche has launched direct-to-consumer sales of its antiviral flu medication Xofluza in the United States at a reduced price – $50 per package. This decision reflects the company’s response to pressure from Donald Trump’s administration, which has been urging pharmaceutical firms to lower prescription drug prices for American patients.
According to Roche, the new pricing initiative is being implemented through its subsidiary Genentech and is available to both insured and uninsured patients. The medicine can be ordered with same-day delivery through Alto Pharmacy, Amazon Pharmacy, and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. Major pharmacy chains such as CVS will not participate in the program.
Our analysts at FinancialMediaGuide emphasize that the $50 price – 70% below the list price – effectively represents part of a broader strategy to develop alternative sales channels amid growing regulatory scrutiny over drug pricing in the United States.
The Trump administration has already announced plans to launch TrumpRx, a platform that will allow Americans to purchase certain medicines directly from manufacturers. However, Roche confirmed that Xofluza will not be available through TrumpRx for now, though the company said it remains open to future participation.
Xofluza, designed to treat influenza in patients aged 12 and older who have shown symptoms for no more than two days, was previously distributed through a coupon system that reduced the out-of-pocket cost for some patients to $35. Now Roche is betting on a direct-sales model focused on transparency and pricing flexibility.
Our experts note that this initiative aligns with Trump’s broader campaign to lower drug costs in the U.S. Similar steps were taken by Pfizer and AstraZeneca, which agreed to reduce prices under the Medicaid program in exchange for tariff relief. In this context, Roche presents its program as a contribution to the same objective – mirroring Amgen’s initiative that introduced discounts for cash-paying patients earlier this year.
According to Financial Media Guide analysts, Xofluza is projected to generate $340 million in sales in 2025, confirming robust demand for effective antiviral medications amid ongoing global health risks.
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