US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a sweeping executive order aimed at slashing prescription drug prices for American patients by tying them to the lowest prices paid in other developed countries. The executive order, titled "Delivering Most-Favored-Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients," directs federal agencies to demand that drugmakers offer Americans prices no higher than those charged in comparable foreign markets. It gives companies 30 days to comply or face regulatory and trade-related consequences. "The United States has less than five percent of the world's population and yet funds around three quarters of global pharmaceutical profits." Trump said in the order. "This egregious imbalance is orchestrated through a purposeful scheme in which drug manufacturers deeply discount their products to access foreign markets, and subsidise that decrease through enormously high prices in the United States. "This abuse of Americans' generosity, who deserve low-cost pharmaceuticals on the same terms as other developed nations, must end." The order frames high U.S. drug costs as the result of "global freeloading," with foreign governments negotiating steep discounts while American consumers bear the cost of pharmaceutical innovation. If drugmakers fail to meet the new pricing targets, the order calls for: * Rulemaking to enforce most-favoured-nation (MFN) pricing. * Expanded drug importation from countries with lower costs. * Legal action against anti-competitive practices under antitrust laws. * A review of drug approvals for products deemed unsafe or improperly marketed. * Potential export restrictions on US-produced pharmaceuticals and components. The order also instructs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to facilitate direct-to-consumer sales at MFN prices and considers measures to allow waivers for importing low-cost drugs under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The executive order builds on a series of initiatives by the Trump administration aimed at reducing drug prices, though past efforts — including a similar MFN plan in 2020 — were blocked in court. Trump's latest directive revives the pricing debate ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, where drug affordability remains a key voter concern. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
