As Big Pharmas increasingly roll out platforms for direct-to-consumer drug sales, most offering steep discounts on popular medications, many patients are open to using the new services, a recent survey found.
Revenue management software developer Model N commissioned the survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 25 and up over the summer.
It found, first and foremost, that 72% of U.S. consumers are “somewhat” or “very” likely to use DTC drug sale services, with interest levels remaining largely consistent across income brackets. As of the time of the survey, only 22% of those who participated said they’d ever used a pharma’s DTC service.
Money was the main consideration in the respondents’ interest, as almost three-quarters said lower drug costs would make them more likely to use a direct drug-selling platform. On a related note, 40% of those surveyed said they’d skipped or delayed a prescription fill due to financial concerns, and more than 75% said they shop around to find the best price for their prescription meds.
On the other hand, money was also the primary consideration in respondents’ concerns about using DTC platforms.
In all, 86% of the surveyed consumers said they have concerns about buying medications directly from drugmakers. The most commonly cited, by 58% of respondents, was the prospect of running into issues with insurance covering drug costs.
“Direct-to-consumer purchases are treated as cash transactions, meaning insurance may not cover or reimburse these costs,” Jesse Mendelsohn, Model N’s senior vice president of professional services, said in a statement. “For most insured patients, their copay or coinsurance could be considerably lower than the out-of-pocket cost through a DTC channel. However, the DTC option can be especially valuable for individuals who are uninsured, have high deductibles, or whose medications aren’t covered by their plans.”
Other potential issues cited by respondents included questions about the reliability of deliveries and about how the platforms verify prescriptions are valid, as well as concerns about the lack of a pharmacist consultation associated with the online services.
Model N’s consumer-focused results come shortly after another survey from ixlayer found that pharmas, too, are very interested in setting up DTC platforms, with more than 90% saying they’re already running a direct-to-patient program, planning to launch one within the next year or actively exploring the idea.
In recent weeks, several major drugmakers have indeed launched direct drug sale services, as President Donald Trump has called for more DTC options to reduce drug costs for Americans.
Genentech, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim are among the companies unveiling new DTC services over the last month, all with sizable price reductions for certain drugs for cash-paying patients.
Meanwhile, AZ and Pfizer have also joined forces with the Trump administration to sell certain meds at a discount on the planned TrumpRx direct purchasing platform.
This article was originally published in Fierce Pharma.
