STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Prescription drugs in the U.S. cost nearly three times more than in other developed countries, driving financial strain for millions of Americans and fueling demand for reform

• TrumpRx, a new government-run website set to launch in 2026, will let Americans buy discounted medications directly from drug manufacturers, bypassing insurers and pharmacy benefit managers

• Pfizer is the first major pharmaceutical partner, pledging to sell many drugs at up to 50% off list prices, match global “Most Favored Nation” pricing, and invest $70 billion in U.S. manufacturing

• The TrumpRx initiative stems from President Trump’s May 2025 executive order reinstating “Most Favored Nation” pricing, which requires drugmakers to charge Americans no more than patients in other wealthy nations

• TrumpRx also includes plans to cut U.S. prescription spending by half, reinvest $500 billion into domestic production, and give financially struggling Americans direct access to low-cost or even free medications

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Prescription drugs in the U.S. cost nearly 2.78 times more than in other developed countries, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services analyzed by RAND Health Care.1 That means a medication costing $100 in Germany could cost close to $300 in the U.S. The disparity is even worse for brand-name drugs, which are often more than 3.22 times higher than in peer nations.

For millions of Americans, these inflated prices aren’t just inconvenient — they’re devastating. They force hard choices between filling a prescription or paying for food, rent, or other essentials. For decades, pharmaceutical companies have defended these prices by claiming that Americans fund the world’s research and development. The result is a system where U.S. consumers subsidize cheaper drugs for other nations while paying the highest prices on Earth.

It’s a pattern that has persisted across administrations and political divides, despite repeated promises to lower costs. Even as new therapies enter the market, they often do so first in the U.S. — at the highest price point — locking patients into a system that prioritizes profit over access.

President Donald Trump’s administration is now taking another run at this problem with TrumpRx, a government-run website designed to lower drug prices through direct-to-consumer sales. Pfizer is the first major partner to sign on, pledging to sell many drugs at discounts of up to 50% and to match prices charged in other wealthy countries.2

TrumpRx represents an attempt to bypass the middlemen — insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and wholesalers — who drive much of the current cost inflation. This effort marks a major shift in how Americans might one day access prescription medications, setting the stage for a broader conversation about why U.S. drug prices are so high and what it will take to finally change them.

TrumpRx Introduces Direct-to-Consumer Drug Discounts

As reported by MSN, on September 30, 2025, President Trump announced the creation of TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer website where Americans could purchase discounted prescription drugs. It’s expected to launch in 2026.3

Pfizer agreed to reduce prices for many medications and adopt “Most Favored Nation” pricing — meaning U.S. consumers would pay no more than patients in other wealthy countries. President Trump stated, “The United States is done subsidizing the health care of the rest of the world.” His goal was to end what he called global price gouging and make drug costs fairer for American families.

• Pfizer agreed to major concessions that include large discounts and U.S. manufacturing investments — Under the agreement, Pfizer committed to selling many primary care and specialty drugs at an average of half off list prices through TrumpRx.

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  The company also pledged to expand domestic manufacturing, investing $70 billion in U.S. facilities while receiving a three-year exemption from certain import tariffs. This partnership reflects a major policy tradeoff — lower prices for American consumers in exchange for incentives that keep pharmaceutical production within the U.S.

• The TrumpRx website will serve as a bridge, not a pharmacy — The administration clarified that TrumpRx.gov will not directly sell or ship medications. Instead, it will act as a searchable portal connecting users to the drugmaker’s own direct-sales channels.

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  This approach bypasses conventional insurance systems, allowing uninsured or underinsured Americans to access lower cash prices. For those with insurance, however, the discounts might not always beat negotiated plan prices. Health policy expert Chris Meekins noted, “New Trump drug website is likely irrelevant as few will pay out of pocket,” highlighting that insured patients generally pay less through their existing coverage.

• Experts question whether the price cuts will reach the patients who need them most — Analysts pointed out that while TrumpRx could benefit uninsured individuals, insured Americans — who represent roughly 92% of the population — are unlikely to see significant changes.4

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  Vanderbilt University’s Stacie Dusetzina said the program’s featured drugs, such as Pfizer’s rheumatoid arthritis medication Xeljanz, are often costly even after the TrumpRx discount. For example, a 40% discount on a $6,000 monthly list price would still leave patients paying about $3,600 per month, far beyond what most households can afford.

• The initiative revives Trump’s long-standing push for “Most Favored Nation” pricing — Trump has spent years pressuring pharmaceutical companies to tie U.S. prices to those charged in other countries. He previously attempted to enforce this through executive action during his first term but faced legal and political resistance.

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  The revived plan directs drugmakers to match their lowest international “net price,” which includes rebates and discounts, across major markets such as Canada, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. By linking U.S. pricing to these benchmarks, the administration hopes to create a global standard that discourages overcharging Americans.

• The pharmaceutical industry is wary of the ripple effects — Industry group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) warned that these pricing policies could have unintended consequences.

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  Companies could raise prices in foreign markets to offset U.S. discounts or limit drug availability in countries with strict price controls. Still, the administration appears willing to accept those outcomes to prioritize American consumers.

Trump’s Executive Order Promises Up to 80% Drug Price Reductions for Americans

TrumpRx didn’t emerge in isolation — it’s the direct outcome of President Trump’s sweeping executive order announced May 11, 2025.5 That order laid the legal and economic foundation for TrumpRx by reinstating his earlier “Most Favored Nation” pricing policy, compelling drugmakers to charge Americans no more than patients in other developed nations. The website and the broader pricing reform are two parts of the same initiative — one setting the rules, the other putting them into practice.

• A new executive order set the stage for TrumpRx and immediate price cuts — President Trump c