Report: Drug Prices Climb Despite Trump Administration Deals A new Senate Democratic report reveals that prescription drug prices have continued to rise in the U.S., even for companies that engaged in pricing discussions with the Trump administration. The findings challenge the effectiveness of the administration's proposed deals aimed at lowering drug costs and highlight significant price increases for various medications and the introduction of new, high-priced drugs. A recent report released by Senate Democrats has cast doubt on President Donald Trump's assertions that his administration's deals with pharmaceutical companies would lead to lower prescription drug prices in the United States. The report, spearheaded by Senator Bernie Sanders, highlights that despite these agreements, drug prices have continued to rise, with some medications experiencing significant cost increases. Companies that engaged in these pricing discussions with the Trump administration have reportedly increased the prices of hundreds of existing medications and introduced new drugs at an average annual cost of $353,000. Senator Sanders stated at a hearing that Americans continue to bear the burden of the world's highest prescription drug costs, a situation that has not improved under the current administration and, in many cases, has worsened. The price hikes identified in the report affect a range of costly treatments, including gene therapies, cancer drugs, and medications for multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, the report indicates that these same companies have achieved substantial profits during Trump's second term, with combined profits reaching $177 billion in 2025, a notable increase from $107 billion the previous year. This revelation comes at a time when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is scheduled to testify before Congress regarding Trump's budget, where he is expected to face questions about the administration's drug pricing initiatives. The findings cast a shadow of uncertainty over the effectiveness of Trump's proposed 'most favored nation' deals, which were intended to align U.S. drug prices with those in other wealthy nations where medications are typically more affordable. While the White House publicized these agreements, specific details remain scarce, making it difficult to ascertain whether the drugs highlighted in the new report were directly included in these negotiations. However, it is understood that all the drug manufacturers mentioned in the report were involved with the administration's efforts. Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University, expressed frustration over the lack of transparency surrounding these drug pricing arrangements, suggesting that the administration's actions may have inadvertently benefited pharmaceutical companies. In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai asserted that the report’s focus on prescription drug list prices is misleading, as these figures do not represent the actual prices paid by patients. He pointed out that under the agreements, drugmakers committed to offering discounted prices for cash-paying customers on the TrumpRx.gov platform, with many of these discounts comparable to those available on other discount sites. However, even with higher list prices, drugmakers can command higher prices from insurance providers. The report provides examples of blockbuster drugs, such as Merck's Keytruda, a cancer treatment, which saw a 6% price increase to approximately $210,000 annually in the U.S., significantly exceeding prices in countries like Japan and France. Similarly, Novartis' Kesimpta, a multiple sclerosis drug, rose by nearly $10,500 to $141,000 per year in the U.S., while its price in Germany and Canada is considerably lower. Bristol Myers Squibb's Opdivo, an immunotherapy, also experienced a 4% list price increase to $260,000, more than double its cost in other developed nations. None of the mentioned pharmaceutical companies provided a comment when reached for their perspective. Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn, a drug pricing watchdog, commented that it was evident that the agreements did not mandate price reductions across the companies' entire drug portfolios. He further noted that for many drugs not part of these specific deals, pricing has remained unchanged, characterized as business as usual. Ciaccia also attributed recent declines in average brand-name list prices, observed in 2026, to policies enacted by the Biden administration, particularly Medicare drug pricing negotiations. The report also revealed the introduction of new medications, predominantly cancer treatments, by companies involved in these deals, with launch prices ranging from six to seven figures. For instance, Johnson & Johnson's Inlexzo debuted at around $1 million, AbbVie's Emrelis at approximately $719,000, and AstraZeneca's Datroway at about $419,000. Novartis' Itvisma, a one-time gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, carries a list price of roughly $2.59 million