Johnson & Johnson launches website for direct-to-consumer sales

March 4 (Reuters) - Johnson & ‌Johnson has ​launched ​a website to sell some of its drugs directly to U.S. patients ‌who either don't have insurance or pay ⁠for their drugs out of pocket.

The website, called J&J ‌Direct, lists three drugs: ‌diabetes treatments Invokana and Invokamet and blood thinner Xarelto.

The company committed to improving direct access ​to its drugs as part of the agreement it reached in January with U.S. ⁠President Donald Trump's administration to cut prices in exchange for ​exemptions from tariffs.

It also committed last year to investing $55 billion in the U.S. ​over four years.

The Trump administration ‌has reached agreements with 16 pharmaceutical companies to cut the prices of ⁠their medicines for the government's Medicaid program and for cash-paying consumers, aiming to bring U.S. drug ⁠costs in line with those in other wealthy countries.

Several ​drugmakers, including Pfizer and Eli Lilly, have already launched their own direct-to-consumer websites.

The U.S. government has also launched ‌TrumpRx.gov, a website with discounted prescription medicines as part of its efforts ‌to lower drug prices. Johnson & Johnson is not ⁠currently selling any ‌medicines on TrumpRx.gov, ​but the company has agreed to participate.

(Reporting by Michael Erman; Editing by Lisa ‌Shumaker)

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