Senators Investigate Pharmaceutical Companies' Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platforms for Steering Patients to High-Cost Drugs
By
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Summary
U.S. senators are investigating direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth platforms operated by pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Pfizer, alleging these platforms use hand-picked telehealth companies to steer patients toward specific high-cost medications and inflate Big Pharma's profit margins. The investigation found that pharmaceutical giants spent up to $3 million combined for partnerships with telehealth companies who funneled patients to the manufacturers' products, with one instance showing 100% of patients routed to Eli Lilly's products.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledDTC websites run by pharmaceutical companies use 'hand-picked telehealth companies to inappropriately steer patients toward specific, high-cost medications and inflate Big Pharma's profit margins'
In an investigation last year of DTC platforms from Eli Lilly and Pfizer, the senators found that the pharmaceutical giants 'spent up to $3 million combined for partnerships with telehealth companies, who funneled patients to the manufacturers' products'
In one instance, 100 percent of the patients routed to a virtual visit with one of Eli Lilly's products
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