Santa Monica, CA – With a low public tolerance to drug pricing in the recent news, two companies joined forces to help combat the difficult subject when discussing pharmaceutical pricing: transparency.

In late 2016, GoodRx, a company that provides discount drug cards merged with Iodine, a digital health start-up company that focuses on building tools to help consumers compare medications, a social networking tool and a tracker to document side effects.

GoodRx focuses on affordability of prescriptions and Iodine has created insightful, in-depth, and yet easy-to-understand content that helps consumers understand their drug choices and benefits and potential risks of their prescriptions. – GoodRx co-CEO and former Facebook employee Doug Hirsch 

Our very own Jeffrey GiermekVP/Director of Innovation & Strategy, highlighted Iodine’s simplicity in an article published last October.

Read more about the merger here.

Why This Matters:

In our recent 2017 Trend Reports, we touch on the ever-evolving healthcare trend that speaks volumes to this new merger:

DRUG DEBATE – From politicians pounding podiums to everyday patients struggling to fill their scripts, the debate around drug pricing and value has reached a fever pitch—look for moves towards transparency across the industry in 2017.

This is a great example of two brands driving the change needed around a more transparent platform with the price of pharmaceutical drugs. And neither company is or was a part of a pharmaceutical franchise or brand – but driving the change and setting the expectation from a different perspective.

As we continue to watch this trend evolve over the coming year, it will be interesting to watch what additional innovations surface from inside and outside of healthcare to bring even more transparency, close the gap and rebuild the trust of consumers.

About the Author:

As Strategist of Innovation, Drew is charged daily with championing innovative thinking and doing. Drew is part of a global team that leads new innovative ideas that attract different advocates among existing and potential brands that are shared across all agency partners. Drew is backed by over 16 years of brand, sales and marketing experience with Fortune 500 companies such as Progressive and Nationwide Insurance as well as Founder & President of his own healthcare insurance agency for 6 years. Most recently Drew was part of the agency team that launched Briviact for UCB, Foundation Medicine as well as key roles with Eli Lilly Oncology and Johnson & Johnson.