J&J to include drug pricing in TV ads

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) this quarter will begin including the list price and potential out-of-pocket costs of its drugs in its television commercials, starting with anticoagulant Xarelto rivaroxaban. The company made the announcement in a blog post Thursday by Scott White, J&J's company group chairman of North America pharmaceuticals.

The decision comes just days after Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent letters to CEOs of seven pharmas, including J&J, requesting that they testify at a Feb. 26 drug pricing hearing. Jennifer Taubert, EVP and worldwide chairman of pharmaceuticals, will represent J&J at the hearing (see “Pharmas Line Up to Testify on Drug Prices”). ...