AMAC Action applauds President Donald J. Trump for signing a sweeping new executive order aimed at one of the most urgent and long-standing challenges facing our members and all American seniors: the high cost of prescription drugs.
In a move that directly delivers on one of his core campaign promises, President Trump is taking decisive action to ensure that patients stop overpaying for the medicines they depend on. This bold executive order, part of a broader vision to restore fairness and transparency in the healthcare system, tackles the longstanding inequity that has forced American consumers to subsidize drug discounts for wealthy nations overseas.
The facts are as troubling as they are unacceptable. Although the United States represents less than five percent of the world’s population, Americans fund roughly 75 percent of global pharmaceutical profits. Meanwhile, foreign governments negotiate deep discounts from pharmaceutical manufacturers, who then recoup their losses by charging Americans—especially our seniors—markedly higher prices.
President Trump’s executive order breaks this cycle of injustice by directing the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce to hold foreign countries accountable for pricing practices that drive up costs for Americans. It also empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a mechanism allowing patients to purchase prescription drugs directly from manufacturers at the “Most-Favored-Nation” (MFN) price—the lowest price that manufacturers charge any economically comparable country.
If drug manufacturers fail to cooperate and offer MFN pricing, the order authorizes HHS to pursue aggressive regulatory actions to force transparency, reduce costs, and end anti-competitive practices. This is exactly the kind of leadership AMAC members have called for – putting patients before profits and holding Big Pharma accountable.
“It’s great that President Trump is telling the world that American patients will no longer fund the majority of the innovation and research & development for new therapies drug companies produce and then market worldwide,” said AMAC Action Senior Vice President Andy Mangione. “Seniors living on fixed incomes should see a significant financial benefit while gaining better access to life-saving medications as a result of this order. Now, Congress must act and pass the budget resolution that contains measures to reform pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that should reduce drug costs even further.”
This executive order builds upon President Trump’s track record of standing up for seniors. In his first term, he advanced reforms to prevent Medicare from paying more for drugs than other nations. Unfortunately, the Biden administration rescinded that initiative before it could take effect.
The contrast is clear. While the Biden administration’s so-called “negotiated prices” under Medicare were still on average 78 percent higher than prices in comparable countries, President Trump is pushing for real relief with bold action and concrete results. Some medications could see price reductions of as much as 30 to 80 percent for some patients.
This latest order notably seeks to further lower costs for low-income patients by promoting massive discounts on life-saving medications. It also paves the way for greater availability of generics and biosimilars and strengthens price transparency measures that President Trump championed during his first term.
But while this executive order is a major step forward, the battle is far from over.
One of the greatest obstacles to true reform in prescription drug pricing remains the opaque and monopolistic practices of pharmacy benefit managers. PBMs, who serve as the middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain, have in recent years displayed a troubling lack of transparency in their business practices. The consolidation of power among a handful of PBMs has led to serious concerns that they may be abusing their position—capturing discounts meant for patients and driving up out-of-pocket costs for seniors who can least afford it.
As Mangione notes, Congress must now act to reform PBMs and introduce real accountability to the system. Reforming PBMs is critical not only to ensuring the success of President Trump’s executive order, but also to building a healthcare system that truly works for the American people.
That’s why AMAC members are leading the charge against the influence of PBMs and demanding a better deal for seniors. Through grassroots engagement, legislative advocacy, and public awareness campaigns, AMAC Action continues to fight for fairness in drug pricing and push for a system where seniors are no longer burdened by hidden fees, murky contracts, and inflated costs.
President Trump’s latest executive order marks a defining moment in this fight. It sends a clear message that the days of American patients footing the bill for global drug discounts are coming to an end. It delivers real hope to millions of seniors who have struggled for too long to afford their prescriptions. And it reinforces AMAC’s top healthcare priority: putting our members—and all American seniors—first.
Watch to see which politicians speak out against this. That’ll tell you which ones are getting large donations from the pharmaceutical companies. And that includes politicians from all political parties.
Trump did what Biden failed to do. Like with everything the dems are doing still today. Obstruct Trump and MAGA. Bring this country to ruin. And American citizen are forgotten and illegal aliens from criminals to mom and pop are revered. We are paying 20K a year of our tax money to support every migrant in this country. While homelessness and drug use continues day after day. Also think of the minimum wage earner that gets by or is short every month to afford food, medicine or rent. The dems never talk about them. They don’t even talk about the middle class or seniors or those bearing the cost of a long illness. Trump is taking care of these people. The budget bill with their tax cuts needs to be passed. Pronto. Tariffs will bring in more money than the income tax which will then be eliminated and we all can pay for the products made in America. Only the democrats are not democratic they haven’t been since Obama tried to make this country a communist regime. His daddy taught him about the evils of America. The envy of a person who never set foot in this country. Plus Obama tried to destroy the Republican Party by impeaching president Trump twice and they are at it again. Not because President Trump did anything illegal against the country it is because he succeeded in everything he did. He rescued the country from economic disaster. Prosperity the communist can’t handle they need their subjects to be poor to keep them dependent on the government. And rule as dictators.
Well, where will Big Pharma turn to, to recoup their possible losses, from this order? They will be as crafty as usual.
Thank you, President Trump, for looking into this for the legal American citizens. Pharm reduction for US Citizens should have been done a long time ago. Also, we must get rid of middleman markup, and I suspect political kickbacks from the sale of medicines. Any politician involved with this past or present pharm corruption needs to be in prison. Check their bank accounts on onshore and offshore.
It is reprehensible that the majority of seniors have been brainwashed by the MSM to dislike President Trump. These people demonstrate against him as if he is their enemy when the truth is out there. He is working for their benefit. These seniors get almost all of their news from legacy media which is why they have no idea what Trump is doing for them. This has to change! I’d bet that the Democrat pols they support will not lift a finger to support this action by our president.
Thank You President Trump.
This is why we voted for you.
You make promises and you keep them.
MAGA!
I love it! It is the epidemy of “I have a phone and a pen!”.
Only this time it is an American saying it.
Will this effect OTC prices, supplements or just Prescribed RX
I recall that the last few years some Democrats in Congress (one was my representative before I got redistricted) were working on committees to lower the cost of prescription drugs. This one Congressman made it one of his “talking points.”
That said, I don’t know how much bipartisan support this Executive Order has. However, I did see Dean Phillips (no, I don’t live in Minnesota) being interviewed about this Executive Order on Monday morning and he seemed happy about the Executive Order. Phillips also implied that while Democrats should applaud this Executive Order many will not (at least publicly).
My opinion is something like this for lowering the cost of prescription drugs (including the rare “orphan drugs” for certain diseases that aren’t widely manufactured) is long overdue.
As I remember … during DJT’s first 4 years, he confronted Big Pharma, regarding lowering costs. Big Pharma sued him, and when biden ‘won’ in 2020, Big Pharma dropped the lawsuit. Which suggests, he is likely to run into similar issues, unless the timing between his prior and this attempt, he has learned enough, or has qualified people with enough back bone, to actually prevent the same issues. With me not taking a pharmaceutical, because of the $500 cost for 90 days … I would like to follow my doctors recommendation, and be able to afford it.
Demon-rats build nothing but tear down and destroy everything!!!!
Something that needs to be resolved is that if you pay for a drug using part D insurance it is often many times more expensive from the retailer than if it were bought OTC. Somewhere in the transaction some middle man is taking in the extra money. Lowering all drug costs might make it unnecessary to have drug insurance, which WE have to have because of Obamacare. There are many regulations that have to be scrutinized and then removed for our healthcare to be fair to everyone, not just seniors.
I will wait and see if this is actually going to work. People has talked this one into the ground. Worse yet is the matter of “seniors” being used as political footballs and pawns in the great game of pharma greed and government manipulations. To a degree we older folks get put over the barrel and hosed at almost every turn, just because we lived long enough to need more care and medical help. Makes you think Logan’s Run might be an option.
When is he going to take action against heath insurance companies that take advantage of seniors? Like when a company shut my husband down and took away his health insurance for no reason! No one is doing anything about it! Why? We need help and no one is helping! So much for retirement age! Can’t even talk to our President! Why?
Can these “pharmacy benefit managers” be identified by name/state so we can contact them individually?
US citizens have been paying ALL the R&D costs while the Europeans and others are charged JUST for the pills themselves. Now, Big Pharma will probably have to RAISE prices elsewhere in the world to make “most favored nation” work.
AMAC has been fighting for transparency in drug prices and the PBMs that are the real problem here! I hate price controls, which this is! This is going to lead to less pharmacies taking Medicare, less part D plans, and scarcities of medicine for seniors. Price controls are communist policies and Harris was running on this! Government needs to stop interfering in our lives! Every decision has consequences and the consequences for this are going to be on the backs of seniors again, which is why part D plans were created!
I can see this going 1 of at least 3 ways.
1) Big Pharma says, “Fine, we just won’t sell to anyone who has any gov’t. insurance program. They can just stick to generics only. We’ll sell to private insureds and cash pay only patients.”
2) Big Pharma says, “OK, we’ll comply. But, in order to do so, we’ll have to raise prices across the globe to the same prices that we’re charging here in the USA.”
3) Or, Big Pharma will comply by selling to gov’t insured patients at the same prices as they sell in the lowest priced nations around the globe, but raising the prices on the rest of us commensurately, plus an extra percentage to compensate themselves for the hassles.
Finally, we will action on cost medication! Pray that this give the Americans equatable treatment as far cost of medication goes!
And the RINO garbage may have other ideas. BTW… did you note that taxing social security won’t be changing? A campaign promise that would actually help seniors got kicked to the curb as usual. Not surprised at all
This is great. I would still like to see DJT keep his promise “No tax on social security,” and make Congress include this in his “Big beautiful bill.” My wife and I will receive more money on SSI without taxes than we will saving money on prescriptions. BIG LETDOWN.
It’s a wonderful step in the best direction, but it also irritates me beyond words that the President of the US can sign an executive order for this, but we have to wait for Congress to approve it or not??? Why does an EO require anyone to approve of it? About the same thing as the full of sh&@ judges who think they can overpower the President’s decisions!!
Wow! I can’t wait to take advantage of this!