Trump Administration Should Focus on Expanding Patient Choice

Washington, D.C. (August 1, 2025)—Yesterday, the Trump administration sent letters to American drugmakers emphasizing the need to lower medicine prices for American families and small businesses. Elevating direct-to-consumer medicine sales, which cuts out healthcare middlemen, is a good strategy to expand patient choice and lower prices. It would build on progress already made from passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act around health savings accounts.

But U.S. officials should be hesitant to import European-style price controls that will jeopardize innovation and access. The free market should dictate costs rather than government bureaucrats.

Although Americans pay less for generic medications than most other countries, policymakers are right to explore strategies to lower the cost of brand name drugs. Part of the problem is European freeloading, which President Trump has rightly criticized. As the White House continues to negotiate trade deals, walking back strict government regulations that foreign countries unfairly place on American-made medicines should be on the table.

Elaine Parker, President of the Job Creators Network Foundation, released the following statement:

“Free market competition and robust patient choice is what will deliver affordable drugs and medical care to Americans. Proposals that help small businesses and families sidestep healthcare middlemen that muddy price transparency and inflate costs should be swiftly implemented. However, we should be careful not to shoot ourselves in the foot by importing Europe’s heavy-handed government approach that will compromise patient choice.”