Washington – US
President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to 17 of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, sending letters demanding they take immediate action to lower prescription drug prices for Americans. The move follows an executive order signed in May and escalates the administration’s efforts to tackle what it calls “abusive drug pricing practices.”
In the letters, which were published on the White House’s official website and the President’s Truth Social account, Trump calls on the companies to make several key commitments within the next 60 days. The central demand is for a “most-favored-nation” policy, which would require drugmakers to match the lowest price they offer for a given medication in any other developed country.
The President’s initiative also calls on the companies to provide this pricing to all Medicaid patients, guarantee “most-favored-nation” pricing for new drugs launched in the U.S., and allow for direct purchasing by consumers at these lower rates. The letters warn that if the companies “refuse to step up,” the administration will “deploy every tool in our arsenal” to protect American families.
The administration argues that Americans pay significantly more for brand-name drugs than citizens in other developed nations, effectively subsidizing the costs for other countries. The White House has stated that this disparity places an “unacceptable burden on hardworking American families.”
In response to the letters, some pharmaceutical companies have indicated they are reviewing the President’s demands. British drugmaker GSK has confirmed it is in talks with the administration about ways to lower U.S. drug costs, and AstraZeneca has reportedly proposed price cuts to certain drugs. However, analysts and industry representatives have noted that the demands present a significant challenge and may not be feasible to implement within the 60-day deadline.
The move marks a renewed push by the administration to fulfill a key campaign promise to lower drug costs. The letters were sent to major companies including AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck.
