Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Touts Pledge To Sell IVF Drugs At 70% Discount On His Branded Site
CNN: White House Announces IVF Drug Pricing Deal For ‘TrumpRx’ Site
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an agreement to sell common fertility drugs at steeply reduced prices on TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer drug platform the White House plans to launch in January 2026. Under the plan, cost to patients for three in vitro fertilization (IVF) drugs made by EMD Serono, the US arm of German company Merck KGaA, could be reduced by more than 70%, Trump and administration officials said. The drugs, sold under the brand names Gonal-F, Ovidrel and Cetrotide, currently typically cost $5,000 per IVF cycle, the president said. ... the EMD Serono deal would include a reprieve from certain tariffs in exchange for manufacturing and research investment in the US. (Owermohle and Tirrell, 10/16)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump: Cost Of Ozempic Could Be $150. Dr. Oz: Not Yet.
President Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday that the cost of Ozempic, or "the fat loss drug," could be $150—or "much lower" than the current cost. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, jumped in to say the cost of those drugs hadn't yet been negotiated. The administration is negotiating the price of drugs with several pharmaceutical companies and has already struck deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca. (Andrews, 10/16)
AP: California To Sell Affordable Insulin Under State Label Starting Jan. 1
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that California will begin selling affordable insulin under its own label on Jan. 1, nearly three years after he first announced a partnership to sell state-branded generic drugs at lower prices. But California won’t be the only state making lower-cost insulin available. The nonprofit Civica said it will also distribute its economical diabetes medication to pharmacies nationwide. California began partnering with Civica in 2023 for its “CalRx” brand of insulin and put $50 million toward its development, the company said. (Weber, 10/16)
AP: FDA Unveils Drugs To Receive Expedited Review
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced the first round of experimental drugs that will receive drastically expedited reviews at the agency, part of an effort to prioritize medicines the Trump administration deems as “supporting U.S. national interests.” The nine medicines announced by the FDA include potential treatments for vaping addiction, deafness, pancreatic cancer and other conditions. Several of the drugs would compete with higher-priced drugs already on the U.S. market. (Perrone, 10/16)
FiercePharma: Genentech’s 1st Direct-To-Patient Program Centers On Discounted Influenza Treatment
With the launch of its first direct-to-patient (DTP) program, Genentech is joining the wave of drugmakers setting up direct-to-consumer sales of popular products at steep discounts for cash-paying patients. The Roche subsidiary’s inaugural DTP program will center on Xofluza, its prescription influenza treatment, according to Thursday’s announcement. The single-dose oral antiviral med will be available to eligible uninsured, underinsured and self-pay patients for $50, down about 70% from its list price, per Genentech. (Park, 10/16)
