The CEO of Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company behind popular diabetes and weight-loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy, pledged on Tuesday to consider reducing their prices in the United States after facing scrutiny from Congress. This commitment comes amid concerns that many U.S. patients struggle to access and afford these essential medications due to the complex and costly healthcare system. Senator Bernie Sanders emphasized the dire consequences of unaffordable medications, stating, “If not made affordable, Americans throughout this country will needlessly die.” He highlighted the significant price disparities, noting that Ozempic is sold for much lower prices in countries like Canada and Germany compared to the U.S. price of $969.
During the congressional hearing, Sanders pressed Jorgensen to commit to substantial price reductions to ensure Americans do not pay excessively compared to patients in Europe and Canada.
While Jorgensen expressed willingness to explore options that help patients access affordable medicine, he pointed out that most insured Americans pay only $25 or less per month for these drugs.
He also noted that high list prices are influenced by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), who negotiate discounts and charge fees based on list prices, leading to higher costs for consumers.
Sanders assured Jorgensen that he had received commitments from major PBMs not to limit coverage if prices were reduced and urged the CEO to engage with them to uphold these promises. President Biden has also called for lower drug prices, condemning companies for “ripping off the American people.”
Peoplesmind
