Pharma executive passes out in Oval Office while standing behind Trump for drug price announcement
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A pharmaceutical executive collapsed in the Oval Office Thursday as members of the Trump administration were announcing a new deal for weight-loss medications.
The representative from one of the pharmaceutical companies was standing behind the president during the event when, suddenly, his knees buckled from underneath him. Reporters initially identified the man as Novo Nordisk executive Gordon Finlay; however, the company denied that it was Finlay.
Reporters who witnessed the incident first-hand said Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, helped the executive to the ground, preventing him from hitting his head. As reporters were ushered out of the Oval Office, cabinet members attended to the man, elevating his legs.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, “During the Most Favored Nations Oval Office Announcement, a representative with one of the companies fainted. The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay. The Press Conference will resume shortly.”
Thursday’s press conference featured multiple representatives of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, pharmaceutical companies that worked with the administration to create a deal that will make GLP-1s more accessible.
President Donald Trump stands by as attendees help an executive after he collapsed during an event on lowering drug prices in the Oval Office (Getty Images)
Under the deal, the drug makers will expand access to their popular obesity medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, by offering them direct-to-consumers on TrumpRx, the government website expected to launch next year.
The oral version of the medications is expected to be offered for as low as $149 per month, once approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The injectable GLP-1 medications will drop to $245 per month for patients on Medicare or Medicaid who utilize them to treat medical conditions such as diabetes that have already been approved by the FDA.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised the deal for giving those who cannot afford the drugs out-of-pocket a chance to utilize it.
“Obesity is a disease of poverty. Overwhelming, and these drugs have only been available for people who have wealth,” Kennedy said.
Dr. Oz touted that by this time next year, they expect Americans to collectively lose 135 billion pounds.
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