Trump Announces Lower-Cost Fertility Drug Deal With EMD Serono

Key TakeawaysEMD Serono’s GONAL-F fertility drug will be offered at a lower price through the new TrumpRx websiteThe administration also introduced new guidance for employers to provide their own fertility coverageExperts say lowering prices will help many families.MONDAY, Oct. 20, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration announced that Boston-based drugmaker EMD Serono will lower the price of one of its leading fertility drugs as part of a push to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) more affordable.The company’s drug GONAL-F, which helps stimulate ovulation, will soon be available at a discount through TrumpRx, a federal website expected to launch in 2026.The site will allow patients to purchase prescription drugs directly from manufacturers, officials said.“We want to make it easier for all couples to have babies, raise children and start the families they have always dreamed about,” President Donald Trump said.The move follows an executive order Trump signed in February aimed at lowering the cost of IVF treatment. While it falls short of his campaign pledge to make IVF free, it's the third pharmaceutical pricing deal announced by the administration in recent weeks.Fertility drugs like GONAL-F can cost patients thousands of dollars per IVF cycle, and many couples need multiple cycles to get pregnant.EMD Serono’s medications, which also include other hormone-based fertility treatments, will be offered at lower prices through the government partnership.The company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also plan to work together to expedite approval of an EMD Serono fertility drug used in Europe, called Pergoveris.“There are going to be a lot of Trump babies,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). “That’s probably a good thing.”The administration also introduced new federal guidance that will allow companies to offer fertility coverage separately from major medical plans, similar to how dental or vision insurance works.Trump said this change will make it easier for companies to expand family-building benefits and help more people afford fertility treatments.“Any initiative that addresses the cost of drugs will have a material positive impact on the overall cost of the fertility cycle,” Roger Shedlin, CEO of fertility benefits company WIN, told The Associated Press.Patients also appreciated the step.Corinn O’Brien, 39, of Birmingham, Alabama, who gave birth to her daughter in June after three IVF cycles, said each round of treatment cost her between $1,000 and $5,000 just for the medications.She told The Associated Press that covering the whole IVF cycle “ultimately would be a game changer for families,” but helping cover the cost of drugs “is progress and is much appreciated.”Trump has faced pressure to support access to IVF following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The ruling led to new abortion restrictions in several states, some of which raised concerns about IVF access.Asked about opposition from religious conservatives who object to IVF, Trump said he wasn’t aware of those views, adding, “I’m just looking to do something because, you know, pro-life, I think this is very pro-life.”“You can’t get more pro-life than this,” he said.More informationEMD Serono has more on GONAL-F.SOURCE: The Associated Press, Oct. 16, 2025.What This Means For YouThis new initiative could make fertility treatments more affordable for people struggling with infertility..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter