In a move that could reshape the landscape of obesity treatment in the United States, President Donald Trump announced on November 6, 2025, a landmark agreement with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to dramatically lower the cost and expand the coverage of their blockbuster obesity drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound. The announcement, made from the Oval Office with a cadre of administration officials and pharmaceutical executives in attendance, signals a new era in access to these much-hyped GLP-1 receptor agonists—medications that have already helped millions of Americans in their battle against obesity.
The deal is as ambitious as it is sweeping. Under the agreement, Americans will be able to purchase these weight loss drugs for as little as $150 per month through a new direct-to-consumer platform, TrumpRX, which is slated to launch by the end of the year. According to the White House fact sheet, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have committed to offering all of their drugs at so-called "Most Favored Nation" rates—meaning U.S. consumers will pay prices comparable to those in other developed nations, a longstanding demand from patient advocates and policymakers alike.
Currently, the retail price for these medications can soar to between $1,000 and $1,350 a month, with only limited discounts available through insurers or direct-to-consumer programs. But starting in 2026, Medicare beneficiaries will pay a co-pay of just $50 per month for these drugs, with both Medicare and Medicaid covering them for obesity treatment. For those without insurance, the TrumpRX website will offer Novo Nordisk's Wegovy at its lowest dose for $149 and Eli Lilly's Zepbound starting dose for $299—a price point $50 lower than the company’s existing direct sales, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
The significance of this deal is underscored by the numbers. Obesity is a chronic disease that affects millions of Americans and is a leading driver of other chronic illnesses. During the announcement, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared, "Obesity is the number one driver of chronic disease in the United States. This is something no American president has ever done. If we want to solve the chronic disease crisis, we have to tackle obesity." Kennedy went on to predict that the American public would lose 125 million pounds by this time next year, calling the move a potential game-changer for public health.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, echoed the urgency, emphasizing that obesity is "responsible for half of all chronic diseases" and that while GLP-1 drugs are not a panacea, they are "an arrow in our quiver that we must use and should use." The drugs themselves—GLP-1 receptor agonists—work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that regulate appetite and feelings of fullness. Clinical trials have shown that they can help patients shed between 15% and 22% of their body weight, sometimes translating into 50 pounds or more.
But until now, cost and insurance coverage have been formidable barriers. As Dr. Leslie Golden, an obesity medicine specialist in Wisconsin, told the Associated Press, "Every visit it’s, ‘How long can we continue to do this? What’s the plan if I can’t continue?’ Some of them are working additional jobs or delaying retirement so they can continue to pay for it." Even with insurance, copayments could reach $150 per refill, making the treatments out of reach for many.
Trump’s announcement is part of a broader campaign to address soaring drug prices and cost-of-living concerns that have become political flashpoints. Just this past May, Trump signed an executive order reviving the "Most Favored Nation" policy, tying U.S. drug prices to those paid abroad—a move intended to end what he called the "chronic unfairness" of Americans paying the highest drug prices in the world. "The United States consumes only 13% of all prescription drugs, yet pharmaceutical companies make 75% of their profits from their American customer," Trump said during the Oval Office event.
Pharmaceutical companies have responded with significant investments in domestic manufacturing. Eli Lilly will spend $27 billion and Novo Nordisk $10 billion to build new U.S. plants, while Pfizer has committed an eye-popping $70 billion to similar efforts, following their own agreement with the administration to lower drug costs. These investments, officials say, will not only secure the supply chain but also create thousands of American jobs.
The Trump administration has also negotiated with other drugmakers such as AstraZeneca, which has pledged to list its top drugs on TrumpRX, and EMD Serono, which will lower the cost of fertility drugs. These moves come amid growing political pressure to address Americans’ frustrations with the rising cost of food, housing, health care, and other necessities—issues that have played out in recent elections, where cost-of-living concerns have dominated voter sentiment.
There are, however, notes of caution and skepticism. Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital, told the Associated Press, "I would have to see it to believe it. I need to see something that is more definitive for Medicare beneficiaries. I need to see something that is tangible and sustainable." Dr. Angela Fitch, founder and chief medical officer of knownwell, a weight-loss and medical care company, added, "We need a hero in obesity care today. The community has faced relentless barriers to accessing GLP-1 medications, which has ultimately come down to the price, despite the data we have supporting their effectiveness."
The new program is not without its complexities. While Medicare will begin covering these drugs for obesity in 2026, Medicaid coverage will depend on state participation, and the TrumpRX platform is expected to phase in lower prices for uninsured patients starting in January. Additionally, the deal includes a commitment from Eli Lilly to sell a new weight-loss pill, orforglipron, for $149 if it receives FDA approval—a process that the Food and Drug Administration is expediting, with both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk receiving review vouchers for transformative medications.
Meanwhile, the companies’ existing drugs are seeing unprecedented demand. Sales of Zepbound have tripled in 2025 alone, reaching over $9 billion, according to Eli Lilly. And while the Biden administration had previously proposed expanding Medicare coverage for these drugs, the Trump administration reversed that rule in the spring, opting instead for a deal that administration officials say ensures Americans are not "unfairly financing the pharmaceutical industry’s innovation."
As the dust settles on this high-profile announcement, the real test will come in 2026, when the new prices and expanded coverage take effect. For millions of Americans struggling with obesity—and the chronic diseases that often follow—relief may finally be on the horizon.