New Measures Aim to Lower Fertility Treatment Costs, Not Mandate Coverage
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new policy initiative aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) by reducing the cost of fertility medications, marking the latest in a series of efforts to address growing concerns over reproductive health affordability.
In a statement from the White House on Tuesday, Trump revealed that his administration has brokered agreements with two specialty pharmacies and a major pharmaceutical manufacturer to lower the price of a key fertility drug commonly used to stimulate egg production in IVF treatments.
While the move is being framed as a step toward improving access to IVF, the announcement does not include a mandate for health insurers to cover IVF services a promise Trump had floated in earlier speeches.
“This is about giving hopeful families more affordable options,” Trump said. “We want to remove the financial barriers that too many Americans face when pursuing the dream of having children.”
The medication at the center of the pricing deal has not been publicly named yet, but White House officials say it is among the most prescribed during the early stages of fertility treatment cycles. The negotiated discounts are expected to roll out nationally in early 2026.
Background and Political Context
Trump has increasingly focused on reproductive health policy in recent months, following backlash over restrictive state level abortion laws and court rulings that have left some fertility clinics uncertain about legal liabilities surrounding embryo handling.
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to explore ways to make IVF more affordable and accessible. However, critics note that concrete steps especially those involving insurance reform have been limited.
Women’s health advocates cautiously welcomed the pricing deal but urged the administration to go further. “Lower drug prices are important, but without insurance coverage, many families will still find IVF financially out of reach,” said a spokesperson for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
