President Donald Trump announced voluntary drug-pricing agreements with nine additional pharmaceutical and biotech companies on Monday, bringing the total number of manufacturers in the administration’s “most-favored-nation” initiative to 26, according to official statements and reports from USA Today.
New Companies Join Most-Favored-Nation Pricing Pacts
During an Oval Office event with industry executives, President Trump stated that agreements were signed with nine companies: Astellas, BeOne Medicines, CSL, BridgeBIO, Sun Pharmaceutical, Teva, UCB, Alcon, and Kyowa Kirin. According to USA Today, these manufacturers produce medications targeting conditions such as glaucoma, hemophilia, liver disease, macular degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, skin conditions, and certain cancers.
The newly signed drugmakers have agreed to offer products to state Medicaid programs at “most-favored-nation” prices matching what other developed nations pay, a step Trump asserted will yield “a tremendous discount” for American healthcare costs. This latest group follows an initial wave of 17 large pharmaceutical companies—including Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Amgen, and Regeneron—that reached similar agreements with the administration starting in September 2025.
Tariff Pressure and Direct-to-Consumer Distribution
Drug manufacturers negotiated these voluntary pricing pacts with the administration to avoid future tariffs, according to USA Today reporting. During the announcement, Trump noted that he expects remaining brand-name drugmakers to sign because they “have no choice.”
Under earlier phases of the initiative, participating companies agreed to cut prices for federal health programs and sell medicines directly to consumers through TrumpRx.gov. The administration’s website lists prices for brand-name fertility, insulin, and weight-loss medications, while directing cash-paying buyers to manufacturer websites or coupons. In May, the administration added roughly 600 generic medications to the platform, linking users to private-sector online pharmacies including Amazon Pharmacy, GoodRx, and Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs.
Industry Resistance and Watchdog Criticism
Smaller and midsized drugmakers had previously been slow to join the pricing push, with a Reuters report in June noting that executives at firms like Ionis Pharmaceuticals saw minimal financial benefit in participating. Furthermore, watchdog groups have questioned the long-term impact of the voluntary agreements.
“The deals announced today focus on Medicaid, where steep discounts already exist, and even then, states can choose whether to participate,” said Merith Basey, CEO of Patients for Affordable Drugs, as reported by USA Today. Basey argued that patients need “transparent, enforceable measures that hold big drug companies accountable” rather than short-term, voluntary pacts whose terms remain secret.
While the White House projects that its broader drug-pricing strategy could reduce federal and state spending by $64.3 billion over the next decade, that figure remains speculative. Government officials have not publicly released the specific terms of the voluntary agreements, and many patients covered by Medicaid already pay minimal out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions due to existing statutory discounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a most-favored-nation drug-pricing agreement?
It is a voluntary pact where pharmaceutical companies agree to sell prescription drugs to state Medicaid programs and federal health programs at prices comparable to what is paid in other developed nations.
How many pharmaceutical companies have signed deals with the Trump administration?
According to USA Today, a total of 26 pharmaceutical manufacturers have signed voluntary pricing pacts, covering an estimated 89% of brand-name drugs.
Does the TrumpRx website process health insurance claims?
No. The TrumpRx.gov website does not process insurance claims; instead, it directs cash-paying consumers to manufacturer coupons, private online pharmacies, or drug-pricing websites.
Why did pharmaceutical executives agree to these pricing terms?
According to USA Today, drugmakers negotiated these voluntary deals with the administration to avoid future tariffs.
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