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President Donald Trump has announced a new agreement with UK-based pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, following a similar deal with Pfizer, aimed at cutting prescription drug prices in the United States. Under the pact, AstraZeneca will provide certain medicines to the U.S. Medicaid health program at discounted rates in exchange for relief from import tariffs, marking another step in the administration’s push to lower healthcare costs.
The deal forms part of the White House’s broader strategy to pressure major drugmakers to align U.S. prices with those in other developed nations, where patients often pay nearly three times less. In July, Trump sent letters to 17 leading pharmaceutical companies urging them to reduce prices or face steep tariffs. AstraZeneca and Pfizer are the first to comply, setting the stage for future negotiations.
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot revealed that the company will offer select drugs at up to 80% off their list prices through the upcoming TrumpRx online platform. In return, the firm will receive a three-year tariff exemption to support its plan to localize more of its production in the U.S. Soriot emphasized AstraZeneca’s growing American footprint, noting a $50 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and R&D by 2030, including a massive new site in Virginia.
While the initiative may ease costs for Medicaid, experts remain skeptical about its broader impact. Northwestern University professor Craig Garthwaite noted that Medicaid already benefits from the nation’s lowest drug prices, suggesting limited savings. Boston University’s Rena Conti added that while the agreement benefits pharmaceutical firms, it offers little relief to Americans struggling with high out-of-pocket costs.
AstraZeneca’s latest moves reflect its effort to strengthen ties with Washington while expanding U.S. operations, including plans to list its shares on U.S. markets and sell some drugs directly to cash-paying patients at significant discounts.
