US President Donald Trump has recently announced agreements designed to reduce the costs of popular weight-loss medications as part of his administration’s efforts to address pharmaceutical affordability. The new deals involve Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, with consumers expected to pay between $245 and $350 monthly for obesity treatments such as Wegovy and Zepbound. These medications previously cost over $1,000 monthly without insurance or discounts.
The agreements will enhance Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk’s access to Medicare and Medicaid programs, which provide healthcare for the elderly and low-income individuals. Eli Lilly indicated in a statement that it would benefit from a three-year exemption from tariffs due to its agreement with the administration. It is estimated that around 10% of Medicare beneficiaries will qualify for expanded access to GLP-1 drugs, paying only $50 for the medications. Medicaid recipients will see a phased rollout based on state participation.
Trump has advocated for “most-favored nations” pricing, a strategy aimed at aligning US drug costs with those in other countries. The obesity medications will be available at reduced prices on a government-run website called TrumpRx, set to launch by January. On this platform, Wegovy and Zepbound are expected to start at an average of $350 per month, potentially decreasing to $250 over two years.
Eli Lilly’s forforglipron will be offered at $149 for the lowest dose, while Zepbound will cost $299 for the initial dosage, contingent on FDA approval. The current federal law prohibits Medicare from covering these drugs for weight loss, although they are covered for diabetes and cardiovascular treatments. Moreover, only 13 states currently include weight loss coverage under Medicaid.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that these agreements were the result of extensive negotiations with the pharmaceutical companies and emphasized the significance of addressing chronic disease and obesity. Since July, Trump has been pressuring drug manufacturers to decrease prices, with Pfizer being the first to reach an agreement, significantly reducing some medicine costs on the TrumpRx site. Other companies, including AstraZeneca and EMD Serono, have also forged deals with the administration recently.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxk7k9nd11o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss