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RFK Jr. Defends Trump’s Drug-Price Math as Fact-Checkers Call It Wrong

Senators now press for TrumpRx deal disclosures after citing examples of higher prices than generics.

Overview

  • Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeated their percentage claims during a Thursday Oval Office event, hours after Kennedy told senators the president has a “different way” to calculate discounts.
  • PolitiFact rated Kennedy’s explanation Pants on Fire, noting a drop from $600 to $10 is a 98.3% decrease and that price cuts cannot exceed 100%.
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren highlighted that TrumpRx listed Protonix at $200 versus the generic pantoprazole at $16.99 at Costco and said more than one in four listings amount to a price hike for patients.
  • Democrats introduced measures to force disclosure of manufacturer agreements for TrumpRx, while Kennedy refused to release them, calling the deals proprietary trade secrets.
  • Lawmakers also questioned Kennedy’s plans for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and he pledged more meetings and transparency without changing its core role.