A startling moment unfolded in the Oval Office Thursday as President Trump announced agreements aimed at lowering prescription drug costs. During the unveiling of deals with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, a guest suddenly collapsed, interrupting the proceedings.
The incident occurred as Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was speaking to the assembled press. A swift and immediate response followed, with Dr. Mehmet Oz among those rushing to provide assistance. The room was quickly cleared as medical attention was focused on the individual.
White House officials later confirmed the guest, identified as representing Eli Lilly, was conscious and recovering. The focus then returned to the landmark agreements intended to dramatically reduce the financial burden of vital medications for millions of Americans.
The core of the announcement centered on significant price reductions for popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs. Ozempic and Wegovy, currently priced around $1,000 and $1,350 per month respectively, will be available for $350 through a new program.
Future medications, including Zepbound and Orforglipron, if approved, are slated for a similar reduction, falling to an average of $346 per month. Even a potential pill form of Wegovy would be offered at a significantly lower price point of $150 per month.
These negotiated prices are projected to yield substantial savings for Medicare and Medicaid, offering coverage for obesity drugs at a fraction of previously anticipated costs. The new pricing structure positions Medicare to cover Wegovy and Zepbound for obesity-related conditions for the first time.
Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare can expect a co-pay of just $50 per month for these medications. The impact extends beyond these headline drugs, with discounts also applied to other treatments from both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
Emgality, used for migraine relief, will be available at $299 per pen, a substantial discount from its current list price. Trulicity, a common diabetes medication, will be offered at $389 per month, and essential insulin products like NovoLog and Tresiba will be accessible for just $35 per month.
The agreements also include provisions ensuring that future medications from these companies will be subject to the same favorable pricing. Furthermore, the companies have committed to repatriating increased foreign revenue and extending these reduced prices to all State Medicaid programs nationwide.
