Stories

Big Pharma is most afraid of Trump's drug pricing plan

In this image, Trump raises his hands while speaking into a microphone.
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The pharmaceutical industry is very worried about the Trump administration's plans to cut drug costs, according to a PwC survey of industry executives.

The bottom line: The industry is most worried about the administration's plan to tie Medicare payments for certain drugs to the prices other countries pay.

By the numbers: Roughly 19% of the executives PwC surveyed said the international pricing proposal is the "most concerning" idea on the table.

  • That was followed by drug reimportation (16%), changes to the drug rebate system (16%) and mandates for value-based pricing (15%).

Between the lines: The industry can breathe easy on reimportation. It's always politically popular, but resistance from the FDA consistently stops it from actually happening.

  • International pricing and changes to the rebate system, however — 2 of the top 4 ideas industry fears most — are both working their way through the regulatory process.

Go deeper: Inside the complicated politics of Trump's rebate rule

Trump drug pricing plan