Davos26: Trump says tariff threats helped fix US drug pricing ‘unfairness’

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Source: Pharmaceutical Technology

Original: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/davos26-trump-says-tariff-threats...

Published: Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:04:16 +0000

Speaking at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump said threats of tariffs helped correct the "unfairness" of drug prices in the US. According to him, it was a long-term fraud with the prices of medicines. The Trump administration has reached agreements with pharmaceutical firms where manufacturers have provided discounts of up to 90 percent off regular prices.[1] Drug prices in the US are supposed to be based on the "most favored nation" principle, i.e. to correspond to the lowest prices in economically comparable developed countries.[1][3] In July, Trump sent letters to 17 major pharmaceutical companies urging them to negotiate lower prices, particularly for the Medicare and Medicaid programs.[1][2] Recently, the administration announced an agreement with 14 manufacturers to lower prices for Medicaid and self-pay.[3] Nevertheless, pharmaceutical companies plan to increase the prices of at least 350 prescription drugs in 2026.[3] The exact terms of the agreements remain mostly private.[1]