The news: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is expanding direct-to-consumer (D2C) drug sales with the launch of a new telehealth platform and a steep cash-pay discount for its psoriasis treatment Sotyktu.

Sotyktu will launch on an online platform called BMS Patient Connect in January for $950 per month, a decrease of more than 80% on the list price of $6,828, per BMS.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has been pressuring drugmakers to lower prescription costs via tariff threats and an executive order in May that demanded pharma sell D2C and align US drug prices with other developed countries.

• BMS and Pfizer first offered lower cash-pay direct sales of their co-developed blood thinner Eliquis in July, cutting the direct from $606 to $346 per month via the Eliquis 360 Support program.
• Also in July, Roche’s CEO said it's considering a D2C model amid discussions with US government officials.
• Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer have already launched D2C platforms, which in the cases of Lilly and Novo include cash-pay discounts for their weight loss medicines.

Our first take: Direct payment discounts for prescription drugs only apply to uninsured patients, who are a smaller percentage of overall patients. Only 10% of Eliquis patients are cash-pay, for instance. However, BMS' addition of a D2C platform indicates it may offer more D2C drugs—and is another sign that pressure from the Trump administration is working.

This is our immediate perspective. We’re actively developing this story throughout the day with more research and data from the EMARKETER database. Our in-depth analysis will be included in our client-only Briefings. Non-clients can click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.

Check out other EMARKETER content related to this story:

• Trump intensifies threats against pharma if drugmakers don’t lower US prices
• Drugmakers pay telehealth partners millions as part of D2C drug push
• Eli Lilly expands D2C offerings to reach Alzheimer’s patients
• Novo Nordisk moves into the D2C market with a steep price reduction of Wegovy