Donald Trump’s Crack in Pharma: ‘Americans require low drug prices’; Set 29 September deadline or facial action
US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to the pharmaceutical giants, asking them to reduce drug prices in the United States or to face results.In letters addressed to 17 major pharmaceutical companies, Trump urged them to cooperate with their administration to implement wide reforms aimed at reducing costs for American patients, which pay some highest drug prices in the currently developed world.These firms are Eli Lily & Company, Sanofi, Regenneron Pharma, Marke, GSK, Johnson & Johnson & Jennentac, Majen, Astrazheneca, Novo Nordisk, Fizzle, EMD Cerono, Gilly Sciences, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squib, Abibvi.Trump wrote in the letters, “If you refuse to move, we will deploy every equipment in his arsenal to protect American families from constant derogatory drug pricing practices,” Trump wrote in letters, which were published on their platform, Truth social.Push signs an executive order Trump on 12 May 2025, titled the most preferred nation’s prescription drug pricing to American patients. It is designed to end this order that Trump called “global freeloiding” by foreign governments benefiting from low prices on American-developed drugs.According to the White House, drug prices in the US are three times higher than other developed countries for similar drugs. Trump blamed it on a “unacceptable burden on hardworking American families” and vowed to stop it.In letters, Trump said that most of the proposals were obtained by his administration from the pharmaceutical industry, “maximum: transfer of faults and request policy changes, resulting in billions of dollars in the industry.”Instead, he prepared a clear list of full demands within 60 days:
- The most preferred nation (MFN) pricing for Medicade: Offer full portfolio of existing drugs at MFN rates to all Medicade patients.
- MFN pricing for newly launched drugs guarantee: Ensure that MFN pricing applies to and beyond all new drugs on Medicare, Medicade and Commercial Payers.
- There is an increase in return for American patients and taxpayers abroad: Trump said that domestic MFN pricing should push drug manufacturers to interact on hard deals with foreign buyers, and additional revenue should be used to reduce domestic costs.
- Enable direct purchases on MFN pricing: Usely used prescription drugs adopt direct-to-conjumers and direct-to-business distribution, allowing Americans to reach equally low prices which are usually reserved for third-party payments.
“My team, including Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz, is ready to implement these conditions,” Trump said. “I hope you will immediately join them in good belief, to give relief to American families.”The US President highlighted the global value equality, the most effective results for all stakeholders would be the most effective results, but warned that failure to comply with would indicate government action.He said, “American is demanding low prices of medicine and he needs them today.” “Other countries have for a very long time freeloiding American innovation; this is the time when they pay their proper part.”He concluded the letter by asking for binding commitments till 29 September, and promised support for the implementation questions.The move is one of Trump’s most aggressive efforts to deal with the prolonged issue of the proliferation drug prices in the United States.
