Medical groups praise Trump’s goal for lower prices for antiobesity drugs

A plan to reduce prices for antidiabetes and antiobesity medications could help the health of Americans, according to various people and organizations who responded to a White House announcement of Nov. 6.

President Donald J. Trump, his top health advisers and leaders of pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly gathered in the Oval Office to release details of the plan, with lower costs coming in 2026 through the online portal TrumpRx. Health care advocates called it a significant step — but not the last one needed in the campaign to improve medicine and health care for patients across the nation.

‘A major policy advancement’

The Obesity Society (TOS) said more details are needed about eligibility and implementation, but the administration’s announcement could increase access to the drugs for people living with obesity.

“The high cost of covering these medications has been a major impediment to Medicare access, and the newly reduced prices will significantly lessen the financial burden per beneficiary,” said the statement from TOS President Marc-Andre Cornier, MD, FTOS. “In addition, the opportunity for states to cover the medications through Medicaid at the same price point is a major policy advancement. However, it remains unclear to TOS whether obesity without a related comorbidity will be covered under these plans, and we hope to gain clarification.

“TOS encourages the administration to prioritize policies that expand affordability across public and private insurance programs and reduce out-of-pocket costs for individuals,” Cornier’s statement said. “Even at reduced prices, many Americans will still be unable to afford these medications without adequate insurance coverage.”

Health benefits for women

Obesity has been associated with more than 200 health complications, including some specific to women, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer, said Millicent Gorham, PhD (Hon), MBA, FAAN, the CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health & Prevention.

“Research shows that patient-centered obesity care must leverage the full continuum of evidence-based interventions, including FDA-approved medications,” she said, referring to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “By doing so, we can address the economic and societal burden of chronic disease plaguing our country.

“I have heard firsthand from women living with obesity how access to care can be life-changing,” Gorham said in a statement. “That should be the reality for all Americans living with this disease. While this initiative is a positive development that will improve access to FDA-approved obesity management medications, more work remains to ensure that everyone living with obesity has coverage for needed care. AWHP will continue to work with policymakers, employers and private health insurers to build on this momentum.”

Confronting an epidemic

The plan earned praise from the American Medical Association. AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, called it “a transformative step in the battle against chronic disease and obesity.”

“Obesity is a complex disease that requires evidence-based treatment. Expanding access to effective therapies such as GLP-1 medications represents a significant step forward in confronting an obesity epidemic that now affects more than 40% of adults in the United States,” Mukkamala said in a statement. “These medications not only support weight loss but have also proven effective in reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions.

“The AMA also encourages private insurers to expand coverage for obesity treatment in alignment with these policy changes,” he said. “The AMA strongly supports coverage policies that treat obesity with the urgency, compassion, and scientific rigor it deserves.”

Who’s the real deal-maker?

Making medications affordable is a worthy goal, regardless of who is in the White House. But it was Democrats, not Trump, who broke down the legal barriers to the federal government bargaining with Big Pharma for better prices, said a statement from Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“While I will always commend any action to lower the price of prescription drugs, let’s be clear (the) announcement would not have been possible without the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program passed by Democrats in 2022,” Pallone said. “Democrats created the legal authority to negotiate down the Medicare price of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy without a single Republican vote.

“It’s classic Donald Trump: Take credit for the hard work of others,” Pallone said. “If the president liked this idea, he should give us call. Democrats have a lot more ideas on how to lower prescription drug prices, unlike Trump’s smoke and mirrors proposals that only shift costs and give false hope to patients. It’s time for President Trump to stop playing games and sit down with congressional leaders to lower health care costs.”