During a prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump emphasized what he claimed to be unprecedented reductions in prescription drug prices. He detailed how the TrumpRx initiative, along with the most-favored-nation drug pricing, is set to be implemented starting January.
Trump told his fellow Americans, “I’m doing what no politician of either party has ever done – standing up to the special interest to dramatically reduce the price of prescription drugs.”
Trump elaborated on the TrumpRx plan, highlighting a series of agreements that have been established since late September. These agreements incorporate a most-favored-nation pricing strategy and direct-to-consumer sales, aligning U.S. drug prices with those paid for identical medications in other countries.
In November, it was reported that Trump secured agreements with five major pharmaceutical companies—Pfizer, AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk. These deals span a broad array of commonly prescribed medications.
The initial agreement was reached with Pfizer on September 30, granting state Medicaid programs access to most-favored-nation pricing. Additionally, consumers could purchase several medications at significantly reduced rates. For instance, the dermatitis treatment Eucrisa was offered at an 80% discount, the rheumatoid arthritis medication Xeljanz at a 40% discount, and the migraine treatment Zavzpret at a 50% reduction when bought directly.
A subsequent deal with AstraZeneca on October 10 extended this model to include inhalers for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to White House reports, BEVESPI AEROSPHERE was made available at a staggering 654% discount on the deal price, while BREZTRI AEROSPHERE and AIRSUPRA were offered at 98% and 96% discounts, respectively, for direct purchasers.
In November, – News reported that Trump had reached deals with five major pharmaceutical companies—Pfizer, AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk—covering a wide range of commonly used medications.
Under the first agreement, reached with Pfizer on September 30, state Medicaid programs gained access to most-favored-nation prices, while several drugs became available to consumers at steep discounts through direct purchase. The dermatitis ointment Eucrisa was slated to be offered at 80 percent off, rheumatoid arthritis drug Xeljanz at 40 percent off, and migraine medication Zavzpret at a 50 percent reduction when bought directly.
A follow-up deal with AstraZeneca on October 10 expanded the model to inhalers used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the White House, BEVESPI AEROSPHERE would be available at a discount equal to 654 percent of the deal price, BREZTRI AEROSPHERE at a 98 percent discount, and AIRSUPRA at a 96 percent discount for patients purchasing directly.
On October 16, Trump announced an agreement with EMD Serono that applied to its full in vitro fertilization therapy portfolio. When used together in a typical IVF protocol, the company said eligible patients could access an 84 percent discount off list prices, potentially saving thousands of dollars per treatment cycle.
The most recent agreements, unveiled last week, involved Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk agreed to cut the monthly prices of {“}
]and Wegovy from roughly $1,000 and $1,350, respectively, to $350, while Eli Lilly agreed to reduce Zepbound and Orforglipron from $1,086 per month to $346. Medicare prices for those four drugs will be $245 per month.
The companies also agreed to specific price reductions on additional medications, with Novo Nordisk providing widely used insulin products, including NovoLog and Tresiba, at $35 per month, and Eli Lilly offering discounted prices on other treatments such as Emgality for migraines and Trulicity for diabetes, each reduced hundreds of dollars from their list prices.
