Trump Announces Major Drug Price Cuts Through Deals With Pharma Giants

Washington, April 2026 : US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a sweeping set of agreements with leading pharmaceutical companies aimed at significantly reducing prescription drug prices, describing the move as “the biggest cut in drug prices in the history of our country.”

Speaking at the White House, Trump said that 17 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms—accounting for nearly 80 percent of the branded drug market—have agreed to offer medications to American consumers at the lowest prices available globally. He highlighted that companies would adopt a “most favoured nation” pricing model, ensuring that Americans pay no more than patients in other countries for the same drugs.

“One of the leading firms, Regeneron, has agreed to these terms, and the numbers will come down to levels nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said, adding that the initiative marks a major shift in how medicines are priced in the United States.

The President emphasised that Americans have long borne disproportionately high costs for prescription drugs compared to other nations. “For decades, Americans have been forced to pay the highest prices in the world—by far,” he said, framing the agreements as a correction of a systemic imbalance.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. echoed the sentiment, calling the move a response to what he described as a longstanding inequity. He pointed out that while the United States makes up just over four percent of the global population, it contributes nearly 75 percent of pharmaceutical industry profits. “This has been a massive burden on American families,” he said.

Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz, underscored the urgency of the reform, noting that affordability remains a major barrier to healthcare access. “One in three Americans often walk away without their medications because they simply cannot afford them,” he said.

Officials highlighted specific examples of anticipated price reductions. A commonly prescribed cholesterol medication is expected to drop from $537 to $225, while a weight-loss drug could see its monthly cost fall from $1,350 to as low as $199. These cuts, the administration said, are indicative of broader reductions expected across a wide range of treatments.

Regeneron CEO Leonard Schleifer welcomed the initiative, stating that the company supports efforts to create a more balanced global pricing structure. “We are happy to be part of this because it represents a meaningful step toward lowering costs for patients,” he said.

In addition to pricing reforms, the company announced progress in innovative treatments, including a gene therapy for a rare form of deafness. The therapy will be made available free of cost to eligible children for a limited period. George Yancopoulos described it as a groundbreaking development, noting its life-changing impact.

Sierra Smith, whose two-year-old son received the therapy, shared her experience, calling the results “absolutely incredible.” “Now he can hear—it’s truly life changing,” she said.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick linked the initiative to broader economic goals, stating that the policy would encourage domestic manufacturing. He claimed that investments worth $448 billion in drug manufacturing are expected to flow into the United States as a result.

The White House said the agreements now cover approximately 86 percent of the branded pharmaceutical market, with negotiations ongoing to bring additional companies on board. The administration presented the initiative as a major step toward improving affordability, boosting domestic industry, and reshaping the global pharmaceutical pricing landscape.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)