On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti Will TrumpRx actually lower drug prices?
Oct 16, 2025
Joined by Dr. Jerry Avorn, a Harvard professor and drug policy expert, and Sarah Emond, CEO of ICER and a health technology assessment authority, the discussion dives deep into the new TrumpRx initiative. They analyze how U.S. drug prices soar due to lack of government negotiation. The duo shares insights on the implications of Pfizer’s Medicaid commitments and whether anyone benefits from these discounts. Emond explains how other countries, like the UK, manage to set lower prices, suggesting a need for independent value assessments in the U.S.
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U.S. Refuses To Negotiate Drug Prices
- The U.S. uniquely forbids government negotiation of drug prices, letting manufacturers set prices freely.
- That legal exception explains why Americans pay far higher drug prices than other wealthy nations.
TrumpRx Limits Who Benefits
- TrumpRx deals target Medicaid and direct-to-consumer sales, not broad private or Medicare coverage.
- People with insurance won't benefit because TrumpRx prices don't interface with insurer benefits.
Pricing Secrets Obscure Real Savings
- Medicaid already receives deep, legally mandated discounts, but exact prices are secret.
- Comparing U.S. Medicaid discounts to other countries' confidential prices creates opaque negotiations.
