PR Firm JOTO Teams with SHARx to Push America’s Drug-Price Debate into the Spotlight

New partnership aims to shine a national light on rising drug costs and those left behind

SHARx has hired JOTO PR to run a national campaign meant to push the issue of high prescription prices into the headlines and onto lawmakers’ agendas. The move, announced today, pairs a patient-focused nonprofit with a boutique agency that specializes in loud, attention-grabbing campaigns. The work will start immediately, with public messaging, social outreach and targeted media engagement planned across the coming weeks and months.

The point of the partnership is simple: make more Americans know why prescription bills are a crisis and why people without reliable insurance are especially hurt. SHARx will use JOTO’s reach to build sympathy, shape stories about individual patients, and press for policy conversations at the state and national level.

Who SHARx and JOTO PR are — missions, past work and why they linked up

SHARx is a relatively new nonprofit that focuses on helping people who can’t afford their medicine. It grew out of patient groups and activists who say too many Americans skip or ration pills because prices are too high. SHARx runs direct-help programs for people without insurance or with weak coverage and also seeks to change public policy so costs come down.

JOTO PR markets itself as a disruptor agency. It works for brands and causes that want to move quickly and generate national headlines. The firm has run integrated campaigns that mix earned media, paid ads and online organizing to amplify a single message. JOTO’s strength, its leaders say, is turning complex topics into human stories that travel across TV, digital platforms and social feeds.

The partnership makes sense on paper. SHARx brings patient stories and an advocacy agenda; JOTO brings tactics to escalate attention. SHARx’s leaders told reporters they wanted a partner that could translate individual hardships into pressure on officials and companies. JOTO’s pitch was to build sustained visibility fast, not just one-off publicity stunts.

Why this matters now — where the campaign fits into the wider drug-cost debate

Prescription drug prices have been a sore spot in American life for years. Many people point to rising list prices, copay shocks at the pharmacy counter, and the complex rules that leave some insured patients still paying a lot. For those with no insurance or weak coverage, the problem is starker: skipping doses, choosing between bills and food, or seeking risky alternatives.

Public concern about drug prices has pushed several policy fights in Washington and in state capitals. Lawmakers from both parties have proposed fixes, from price caps to more transparency in how medicines are priced. But progress has been uneven, and many voters tell pollsters they still worry about out-of-pocket costs.

SHARx’s campaign arrives where stories about drug prices can sway voters and shape what lawmakers talk about. By centering uninsured and underinsured people, the group wants to broaden the debate beyond headlines about the biggest drugmakers and toward everyday struggles at the pharmacy counter.

Planned outreach, messaging priorities and near-term milestones

The campaign will mix traditional and digital tools. Expect profile pieces in national and local media, short social videos featuring patients, targeted ads in key states, and efforts to get op-eds placed with opinion pages that reach policymakers. JOTO plans to push for moments that can grab attention — hearings, bill markups, and local health fairs where affected patients can speak publicly.

SHARx leaders said they will release a set of personal stories and policy briefs early in the rollout. JOTO will coordinate media training for people who go on camera. The partnership also aims to build a loose coalition with other patient groups and consumer advocates; early sign-ups and joint statements will be milestones to watch in the coming weeks.

What to watch next and what this could mean longer term

In the short term, the measure of success will be visibility: are patient stories getting picked up by national outlets? Are lawmakers and regulators responding? If the campaign creates repeated pressure points — hearings, social trends, or sustained editorial coverage — it could push stalled talks forward at state or federal levels.

Longer term, the effort could change the political costs of doing nothing. If voters see a steady stream of personal harm tied to drug pricing, elected officials may feel more urgency to act. But there are real unknowns: policy change is slow, opponents will push back, and publicity does not always translate into law.

For patients and advocates, the JOTO-SHARx tie-up is a clear bet that public pressure still moves the needle. Whether it becomes a turning point depends on whether the campaign can keep attention on ordinary people, not just policy arguments, over the weeks and months ahead.

Sources

• prnewswire.com