TrumpRx launches; some experts question its long-term value

TrumpRx, the government’s new direct-to-consumer drug portal, has officially launched in the United States.

It provides links to 43 brand-name medications at manufacturer-specific discounts, including Ozempic (semaglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide for weight loss), which are both available starting at $199 a month for the pen applicator, according to the TrumpRx website.

Discounted pricing is only available for cash-paying patients, a program already adopted by some pharmaceutical companies. For example, Novo already sells injectable Wegovy at the same starting price as TrumpRx.

This has led some to question the long-term cost efficiency of the program, specifically when compared with pharmacy coverage through traditional insurance or other discount drug programs.

Jeffrey Casberg, RPh, M.S., senior vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics and a member of the Managed Healthcare Executive editorial advisory board, said that “consumers need to comparison shop for their prescriptions, as the costs listed may not be their lowest cost option.” Until direct-to-consumer transactions are coordinated with or adjudicated with pharmacy benefits, most of the drugs in this program will remain too expensive for most consumers, in his opinion.

Casberg sounded a note of caution about the apparent bargain prices on TrumpRx. Many of the medications currently listed on the website have a generic on the market or soon will, he said, or have equally effective alternatives that sell at lower prices. Casberg also said that although the White House has positioned TrumpRx as part of the administration’s most favored nation agenda, none of the prices listed are, in fact, most favored nation prices (the lowest prices paid in other comparable countries).

William Soliman, Ph.D., CEO of Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs, also expressed reservations. “First, Trump Rx shows the list price of the drug and then shows the amount you'd pay through Trump Rx. It gives a percentage difference, but that can be misleading because once you've met your insurance deductible, you will end up paying much l​ess ​through insurance ​t​han you would ​be paying monthly without insurance. Secondly, payments on the platform don’t count towards their deductible. So long-term this may not be sustainable if you're on many drugs. Which many older Americans are."

Anna Kaltenboeck, a health economist with her own consulting business, Verdant Research, said in a LinkedIn post that most of the 43 products are quite old, with a median time on the market of 26 years. Kaltenboeck said 26 (80%) had generics available.

In another LinkedIn post by Mark Johnston, senior vice president of innovation and strategy at InfoVision Inc., Johnston calls TrumpRx “essentially a government-branded discount portal.”

Drugs on TrumpRx will be listed from AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer, which are the first five manufacturers to reach most favored nation pricing deals with the Trump Administration, an official White House statement reads.

More than 30 Pfizer drugs are now available on TrumpRx, including Xeljanz, starting at a 51% discount of $1,518 per month, and Zavzpret, at $594.84, at a 50% discount.

EMD Serono’s full infertility medication portfolio will be available, which includes Gonal-f (follitropin alfa for injection), Ovidrel (choriogonadotropin alfa injection) and Cetrotide (cetrorelix acetate for injection). The portfolio was released to align with the “Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization” Executive Order, which aims to position infertility as a medical condition that requires federal support. It was signed on Feb. 18, 2025.

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