On September 30, 2025, the Trump administration announced TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug purchasing platform expected to feature Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing on a limited set of brand-name medications. The announcement was paired with the first pharma manufacturer MFN deal with Pfizer.
The stated go-live date is early 2026, though final details have not been released. Early discussion has centered on participation from select manufacturers and pharmacies aligned to MFN concepts.
Essential information about TrumpRx
TrumpRx is a proposed federal DTC portal where certain brand drugs will be available for consumer purchase directly from manufacturers, with prices aligned to MFN-style discounts.
Initial participation included Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Merck. It was recently announced that the TrumpRx platform will partner with Mark Cuban’s Cost-Plus Drugs for low cost medication access as well as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to provide direct-to-consumer GLP-1 options.
Timeline:
- Sept 30, 2025 – Pfizer announces it will offer select drugs through the TrumpRx website at discounts reportedly averaging ~50%. Pfizer was the first pharmaceutical organization to join TrumpRx through MFN pricing.
- Oct 10, 2025 – AstraZeneca announces participation in the TrumpRx platform. AstraZeneca described their participation as providing “direct-to-consumer…sales to eligible patients with prescriptions for chronic diseases at a discount of up to 80% off list prices.”
- Oct 17, 2025 – Merck KGaA’s EMD Serono strikes a MFN deal for their fertility treatment drugs.
- Oct 20, 2025 – Announcement of Mark Cuban’s Cost-Plus Drugs partnership with TrumpRx platform.
- Nov 6, 2025 – Announcement that TrumpRx will include weight loss drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly at costs of roughly $350/month trending towards $245/month within two years. Drugs include Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.
Potential impact of TrumpRx on pharmacy plans
If insured members choose to purchase drugs directly from manufacturers through the TrumpRx portal, current benefits terms mean that those expenses would be unlikely to count toward plan deductibles or out-of-pocket (OOP) maximums. Because deductible and OOP maximums offer significant value to members by helping to reduce or cap their healthcare expenses, by circumventing that portion of their benefit, they may actually experience more financial strain in the long run.
Purchases outside of the benefit would also be unlikely to undergo any kind of clinical review or utilization management rigor.
With the announcement of GLP-1s from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly joining the TrumpRx platform, employers may see a shift in their formulary and plan design around GLP-1 coverage, as a ‘new normal’ is defined for GLP-1 prices.
Direct-to-Consumer Trend
When members go through the TrumpRx platform, they bypass their pharmacy benefit and those transactions will not register as claims data. That new behavior may actually limit plan sponsor’s insight into utilization trends, adherence, drug mix, and opportunities for clinical outreach. It’s also important to note that while some high-cost brand drugs offered on TrumpRx may show 40–85% list-price reductions, even after those discounts, members could still face hundreds or thousands of dollars per month if paying cash.
Alongside TrumpRx, we’re seeing more DTC platforms entering the market, with examples including the pharmacy advocacy group PhRMA’s “America’s Medicines” and AstraZeneca’s “AstraZeneca Direct.” These platforms will encourage more direct purchasing behavior through manufacturers instead of a member’s insurance benefit, but it remains to be seen how much consumers adopt these new resources.
If consumers do begin buying more of their prescription medications through DTC channels, privacy and data-sharing expectations will also warrant attention as members provide information directly to those sites.
As more DTC options become available to consumers, it raises the question for members of “where to go” for the best price for their drugs.
What employers can do now
TrumpRx signals a push towards more consumer-facing drug pricing, but the impact to plans is predicted to be low or modest until more information becomes available.
Clear communications with your PBM, strong clinical programs, and active contract oversight will help you capture the state of your contract and utilization now and help you prepare for an expanded drug mix through TrumpRx.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TrumpRx?
A proposed federal DTC platform where certain brand drugs would be sold to consumers, with prices aligned to MFN-style benchmarks.
When would TrumpRx launch?
The Trump administration announced TrumpRx on September 30, 2025, with a target launch of early 2026; final details are pending.
Will TrumpRx lower my members’ costs?
TrumpRx is a cash-pay channel. Even with advertised discounts, prices may still exceed what many uninsured or insured members with copays can afford. It may complement, but currently doesn’t replace, insurance plan design and negotiated PBM pricing.
Will purchases on TrumpRx count toward members’ deductibles/OOP maximums?
As of now, insurance policies are unlikely to count cash-pay transactions outside the benefit towards plan deductible/OOP balances. Therefore, members using TrumpRx will likely do so outside of their pharmacy benefit.
How does TrumpRx relate to MFN?
Most-Favored Nation (MFN) pricing refers to matching the lowest available price for a drug in peer nations. TrumpRx is another channel option that will use MFN offers from pharma manufacturers, offering them directly to consumers.
This FAQ provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
Truveris is a pharmacy cost containment company dedicated to reducing pharmacy costs and driving transparency for employers and benefit consultants. Our proprietary, data-driven technology and deep industry expertise empower smarter pharmacy benefit decisions through contract optimization and PBM oversight. Independent and unbiased, Truveris delivers measurable savings and accountability across every pharmacy program.
