Trump Launches TrumpRx Website Promising Cheaper Drugs

On the evening of February 6, 2026, President Donald Trump stood at the White House flanked by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and National Design Studio Director Joe Gebbia, unveiling a new government-run website, TrumpRx.gov, that promises to shake up the way Americans buy prescription drugs. The initiative, which Trump called a “historic announcement” at the press conference, aims to help Americans access lower-priced prescription drugs by connecting them directly to pharmaceutical companies’ cash-pay channels. The website, he declared, would “save a fortune” for millions of Americans and improve overall healthcare. But as with many things in Washington, the reality is more complicated.

The launch of TrumpRx.gov is the latest salvo in the administration’s ongoing effort to address the country’s soaring healthcare costs—a top concern for voters, according to a recent KFF poll. More than two-thirds of Americans worry about affording healthcare for themselves and their families, and over 40% say healthcare costs will have a “major impact” on their votes in the upcoming midterm elections. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described TrumpRx as “a state-of-the-art website for American consumers to purchase low-cost prescription drugs,” emphasizing the administration’s hope that the site will provide much-needed relief.

The TrumpRx platform doesn’t actually sell drugs itself. Instead, it provides a searchable list of 43 brand-name medications, including popular weight loss drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy, and directs users to either manufacturer websites or offers coupons that can be used at pharmacies. Some drugs, such as those used for IVF, are only available at specialty pharmacies, while others, like AstraZeneca’s diabetes drug Xigduo XR, require patients to visit the drugmaker’s direct-to-consumer website. “We don’t sell the drugs,” Dr. Oz explained to ABC News. “This is a government website. We are allowing everybody transparency into what these drugs cost.”

TrumpRx is modeled on the administration’s “most favored nation” initiative, which seeks to ensure that U.S. patients pay no more than the lowest prices charged in other wealthy countries. The push for direct-to-patient drug pricing began in September 2025, when Trump announced a deal with Pfizer to offer certain medications at a “significant discount” through the new platform. According to Pfizer, cash-pay savings could reach as high as 85%, averaging about 50% lower than current private sector list prices. Since then, at least 16 drugmakers—including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serano, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer—have signed on to participate, with the administration negotiating price cuts in exchange for tariff relief.

Some of the discounts are eye-catching. For example, the migraine drug Zavzpret is listed at $549 on TrumpRx, down from its previous price of $1,189. The site promises that “many more drugs are coming soon,” and a countdown timer on TrumpRx.gov built anticipation leading up to the launch. Yet, as experts and consumer advocates are quick to point out, the devil is in the details—and many questions remain unanswered.

For starters, TrumpRx is designed primarily for uninsured individuals, people with high-deductible insurance plans, or those who pay out of pocket for drugs not typically covered by insurance, such as medications for weight loss, fertility, or cosmetic use. About 84% of Americans, however, already have prescription drug coverage, meaning the vast majority may not benefit from the new platform. “There’s no clear advantage for most people to use TrumpRx to purchase their medications,” Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of the program on Medicare Policy at KFF, told ABC News. She noted that for most insured Americans, “it would be hard for direct-to-consumer prices to beat the cost sharing amounts that they’ll pay using their insurance if they have coverage for drugs that are being sold through TrumpRx or other direct-to-consumer platforms.”

The website itself even cautions users: “If you have insurance, check your co-pay first—it may be even lower.” What’s more, purchases made through TrumpRx may not count toward insurance deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums, potentially leaving some patients financially worse off. Rachel Sachs, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who studies drug pricing, warned, “There may be patients who think this is a good deal and then end up financially worse off.”

Another wrinkle is that TrumpRx only offers discounts on brand-name drugs, which are generally much pricier than generics. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 9 in 10 prescriptions filled in the U.S. are for generic drugs, which are often available at very low prices. Most of the drugs featured on TrumpRx are already widely covered by insurance, and some even have inexpensive generic alternatives. For those with low out-of-pocket costs through their insurance, using TrumpRx could actually mean paying more.

The Trump administration’s approach has drawn both praise and skepticism. Supporters argue that the “most favored nation” pricing model and direct negotiations with pharmaceutical companies will pressure the industry to lower prices across the board. The administration has pointed to voluntary price reductions by companies like Pfizer, Ely Lilly, and Novo Nordisk as evidence that their strategy is working. Critics, however, see the program as a distraction from deeper problems in the U.S. drug pricing system. Sean Sullivan and Ryan Hansen, professors of health economics and policy at the University of Washington, argued in Stat News that TrumpRx is “a distraction” rather than a true solution, benefiting pharmaceutical companies by allowing them to “maintain higher prices while appearing magnanimous through selective discounting.”

There are also legal and regulatory concerns. The TrumpRx website’s launch was delayed from January to February, reportedly due in part to antitrust worries. In January, Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Peter Welch, and Elizabeth Warren wrote to the HHS Office of Inspector General warning that TrumpRx might violate federal anti-kickback laws, citing a lack of clarity around the site’s scope, structure, and legal authority. “Given that oversight requests from Congress for information about the scope, structure, and legal authority underpinning the TrumpRx website have gone unanswered by HHS, and due to the lack of clarity with how HHS OIG will conduct oversight of a manufacturer’s DTC platform that is embedded in the TrumpRx website, we cannot be sure that TrumpRx will comply with existing federal laws,” the senators stated in their letter.

Transparency is another sticking point. Last month, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the administration for failing to release documents related to the deals struck with pharmaceutical companies. Many details about the agreements—including how long the discounts will last—remain unknown.

Despite the uncertainties, the launch of TrumpRx.gov marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over drug pricing in the United States. For uninsured Americans or those shut out of traditional insurance coverage, the website could offer real savings on some medications—especially high-profile drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy, which are often not covered by insurance. Novo Nordisk has reported that 30% of patients using Wegovy injections now pay out of pocket, while Eli Lilly says about 1 million patients have used its direct-buy site for Zepbound since its launch two years ago.

As Americans continue to grapple with the high cost of healthcare, TrumpRx.gov is likely to be both celebrated and scrutinized in the months ahead. Whether it becomes a model for broader reform or simply a niche solution for a select group of patients remains to be seen. For now, the site stands as a symbol of the complex, ever-evolving battle to make prescription drugs more affordable in America.