United States President Donald Trump's administration revealed plans to broaden parents' access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) when they are struggling to get pregnant naturally.
This topic was one of the major talking points in the final months of the Republican leader's 2024 presidential campaign. He promised that if he got elected, he would make IVF free for families who want to conceive.
Donald Trump's IVF Access Plans
Last year, Trump said that under his administration, they would work on making the government pay for such a treatment. He also gave an alternative solution, which is to mandate that the insurance company pay for the costs of the procedure.
While that particular commitment is still unrealized, the current administration made a bold move on Thursday by promising to make the procedure more accessible to families. Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, announced a collaboration with EMD Serono, a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical giant Merck, to offer lower-priced fertility drugs on the president's upcoming prescription marketplace, TrumpRx, according to Aljazeera.
The president said that EMD Serono is the largest fertility drug manufacturer in the world, noting that it has agreed to provide "massive discounts" to all fertility drugs that the company sells in the U.S., including Gonal-F.
The latest announcement marks the third major pharmaceutical company to agree to offering discounted prices on the president's TrumpRx, which is a direct-to-consumer website expected to launch next year.
Additionally, the administration announced forthcoming guidance from the Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services departments. These will help employers offer fertility benefits outside of major medical health insurance plans, NBC News reported.
Providing Discounted Prices
The president said they are making these efforts because they want to make it easier for all couples to have babies, raise their children, and start families. His Thursday announcement focused on discounted fertility medications from EMD Serono.
A non-profit research group, KFF, previously said that the majority of IVF patients in the U.S. pay out of pocket for treatment. The head of U.S. fertility at EMD Serono, Libby Horne, said they are proud to announce that Americans will have access to the company's leading IVF therapies for an 84% discount.
During the announcement event, Sen. Katie Britt also highlighted her leadership in the Senate to enact historic child care legislation as part of the president's Working Family Tax Cuts Act. She said it makes sure that hard-working parents are front and center in that legislation, as per Britt.Senate.
