America First Medicine: How Trump Made Big Pharma Blink
For decades, Americans paid the world's highest drug prices while other countries got a discount. President Trump used deals, not more bureaucracy, to bring 26 drugmakers to the table. In our view, it's one of the smartest plays of his second term.
By Clara Hughes, Senior Features Writer
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Senior Features Writer | October 4, 2026 | 6-min read Ask anyone over 45 who fills a prescription every month. For years, Americans paid more for the same medicine than people in Canada, Britain or Germany. Then the numbers turned. In the 12 months ending in July, prescription drug prices fell 3.1%, the steepest annual decline since 1963, according to federal data [4][5]. Key Takeaways 26 drugmakers covering about 90% of the U.S. branded drug market have signed "Most Favored Nation" deals to bring U.S. prices in line with the lowest prices paid by comparable developed nations [1][2]. The White House says every state Medicaid program, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, now gets MFN pricing, and projects nearly $65 billion in Medicaid savings over a decade [1]. Prescription drug prices fell 3.1% in the year ending in July [4][5]. We argue the President's pressure campaign deserves a large share of the credit. This matters because you pay twice. American patients and American taxpayers fund a huge share of the world's drug research. In our view, it was never fair for them to also pay the highest prices on Earth. President Trump used deals, not more bureaucracy, to change that. A Deadline, Then a Deal The President's view, in the White House's words, is that foreign nations should no longer "use price controls to freeride on American innovation" [2]. He didn't wait for Congress to act on it. He started