Overview
- Pfizer and AstraZeneca accepted MFN-style pricing for Medicaid, pledged discounted direct sales through a planned TrumpRx portal in 2026, and secured temporary relief from threatened 100% import tariffs in exchange for large U.S. investments, including Pfizer’s $70 billion and AstraZeneca’s $50 billion with a new Virginia plant.
- Policy analysts say Medicaid already pays prices comparable to Europe, suggesting limited near-term savings from MFN commitments, and clinicians warn that cash discounts via TrumpRx may still leave many insured patients paying high costs outside their benefits.
- Economists note TrumpRx mirrors existing cash options from GoodRx and Cost Plus and that only a small share of Americans buy drugs outside insurance, raising questions about the portal’s incremental value.
- Multiple experts caution that price-pressure measures could curb innovation, citing research projecting sizable drops in new drug development under MFN-like policies and reduced early-stage R&D if expected prices fall sharply.
- Tariff threats used to secure the deals could ultimately raise prices by disrupting global supply chains, and critics argue selective exemptions risk favoring large incumbents over smaller biotechs.