The news: BlinkRx debuted a new quick startup direct-to-consumer (D2C) offering for pharma companies, on the heels of President Trump’s demand for more D2C drug distribution. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, joined the board of BlinkRx in February. BlinkRx told Bloomberg it did not consult with Trump Jr. nor anyone in the Trump administration about the new offering.

Zooming in: BlinkRx’s “Operation Access Now” claims it can help drugmakers set up a D2C Rx platform in as little as 21 days.

• President Trump sent letters to pharma companies on July 31 and gave 60 days to comply by offering more direct sales and lowering drug prices to the same level as other developed countries.
• Roche recently said it is considering D2C models after meeting with US government officials. It would join Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, and Bristol Myers Squibb that have rolled out online D2C platforms over the past year and a half.
• The Trump administration has also met with retailers like Amazon and Walmart about boosting D2C drug sales.

Why it matters: Trump’s most recent directive, along with tariff threats and national security investigations, puts more pressure on pharma manufacturers to lower drug prices and reshore manufacturing in the US.

The takeaway: Pharma companies were already looking at new access models and ways to build direct connections to patients, but with the now pressing Trump demands, there’s new opportunity for digital health companies to offer vetted plug-and-play models.

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