The White House’s Drug Plan Has Some Convenient Blind Spots

There couldn’t be a more pressing or galvanizing topic for Americans than the high cost of prescription drugs. And after months of blustery talk from President Donald Trump about lowering prices and cracking down on Big Pharma, his plans are finally starting to take shape, beginning with pacts with manufacturers. But before we get too excited, consumers should demand more transparency about what they’re getting from his dealmaking — and ask who is truly benefiting from the sum of his health care actions.

Trump wisely put the issue of drug costs front and center, promising consumers a better deal than what his predecessors could extract from companies. His main strategy has been to threaten pharma companies with outlandishly high tariffs if they didn’t comply with his demands, which included reshoring manufacturing, bringing US drug prices in line with those in Europe, and expanding direct-to-consumer sales.