Trump announces Pfizer partnership to reduce drug prices
President Trump unveils “TrumpRx”, a Pfizer partnership to cut drug costs.
President Donald Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut costs on their popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs — Wegovy and Zepbound.
The president’s negotiated deal with the drugmakers will allow Medicare and Medicaid coverage for Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo’s Wegovy, according to reports, as well as offer discounted prices directly to consumers through the federal government’s direct-to-consumer website, TrumpRx, which is set to launch in 2026.
“For years, politicians have talked about making health care affordable,” Trump said during an Oval Office news conference announcing the price cuts. “But my administration is actually doing it.”
The prices consumers will pay under the new deals will differ based on their insurance coverage and discounts. Such as those buying injectable GLP-1 medications directly from the drugmakers will pay an average of $350 per month to start, noting that it will reduce it to $250 over the next two years. If and when the oral version is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, the lowest dose will start at $149 per month.
The deals will also expand access to millions of Medicare recipients that are currently paying out-of-pocket for these weight loss medications that were not otherwise covered. They will pay up to a $50 copay, while those on Medicaid typically do not have a copay.
While many insurers will cover GLP-1 drugs when prescribed for diabetes or other conditions such as heart disease or sleep apnea, more than half of employer insurance plans have refused to cover the medications solely for obesity.
What is TrumpRx?
TrumpRx is a direct-to-consumer website for Americans to buy drugs. The new government-backed website is intended to offer discounted prescription drugs directly to consumers through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.
Companies working with TrumpRx include Pfizer, AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Their partnerships involve providing discounts on certain drugs and lower prices for Medicaid and Medicare.