WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) today filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General urging an immediate investigation into whether BlinkRx, a company tied to Donald Trump Jr., may have received material nonpublic information giving it an unfair competitive advantage in a possible bid to administer the Trump administration’s new direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical platform, TrumpRx.

Reporting indicates that BlinkRx may have had advanced knowledge of White House and HHS decisions in violation of the federal ethics rules and contracting laws, including the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.

“While Americans brace for higher health insurance bills, President Trump is peddling a healthcare initiative that appears designed to enrich his son,” said Virginia Canter, DDF’s chief counsel and director for ethics and anticorruption. “Americans deserve manageable healthcare prices now, not another self-serving Trump family scheme.”

DDF’s complaint comes as Republican congressional leaders are reportedly scuttling bipartisan plans to avert health insurance premium hikes that are a result of their unwillingness to extend vital tax credits. Americans are projected to pay up to an average of over $1,800 more for their health insurance next year if a deal cannot be reached by the end of the year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Meanwhile, Trump Jr.’s BlinkRx is hosting a summit to discuss services related to TrumpRx at his club that advertises intimate meetings with top Trump administration officials, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CMS Ambassador Mehmet Oz, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. Top healthcare company representatives worry that the gathering is a signal from Trump that they should work with Trump Jr.'s  BlinkRx. Healthcare experts remain skeptical that DTC platforms like TrumpRx and BlinkRx will be able to deliver savings for Americans.

“As Americans scramble to find thousands more in their budgets to afford lifesaving care, Trump and his inner circle are focused on promoting a company with ties to his son,” said Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund. “It’s the same old story: Trump first, Americans last.”

Read the complaint HERE.

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Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.