-Editorial
President Donald Trump announced a series of measures aimed at reducing the cost of fertility treatments and expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage, as part of his administration’s broader initiative to lower prescription drug prices and promote family growth.
The announcement includes a new pricing agreement with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono, regulatory changes to expedite the approval of lower-cost fertility drugs, and a new federal framework allowing employers to offer standalone fertility benefit packages to workers.
President Trump has long advocated for more babies and expanding American families.
“Because we want more babies, to put it very nicely. And for this same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct major newborn expenses from their taxes, so that parents who have a beautiful baby will be able to, so we’re pro-family. But the IVF treatments are expensive. It’s very hard for many people to do it and to get it, but I’ve been in favor of IVF, right from the beginning,” Trump stated.
Under the agreement, EMD Serono — one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fertility medications — will provide its products to American patients at “most-favored-nation” (MFN) prices, meaning U.S. consumers will pay no more than the lowest prices available in other developed countries.
One of the medications covered under the deal, GONAL-F, a widely used fertility drug, will be available through TrumpRx.gov at a substantial discount. The White House said the deal could save women up to $2,200 per fertility treatment cycle, with fertility medications representing nearly 20 percent of the total cost of IVF. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimated that the price reductions could make fertility care more accessible for thousands of middle- and low-income women.
Women with household incomes below 550 percent of the federal poverty level will receive additional discounts when purchasing directly from TrumpRx.gov. The administration characterized the agreement as part of a broader effort to bring transparency and affordability to the pharmaceutical market, particularly in areas like fertility medicine where costs remain prohibitively high for many families.
In addition to lowering prices, EMD Serono has committed to several structural changes. The company plans to begin manufacturing IVF drugs in the United States for the first time, expand access to its discounted drug portfolio through state Medicaid programs, and apply MFN pricing to all new innovative medicines it introduces in the future.
Alongside the pricing agreement, the Trump administration announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will include a lower-cost fertility drug in its National Priority Review Voucher program. This initiative reduces the typical FDA review timeline from 10 to 12 months to as little as one to two months, potentially allowing new fertility drugs to reach the U.S. market more quickly.
Officials said the medication, already approved for use in Europe, could create new competition in the fertility drug market and help drive prices down further. “Accelerating the approval of affordable fertility medications could save patients time and money while expanding their options for treatment,” the White House said in a statement.
In a related policy move, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury jointly announced the creation of a new standalone fertility benefits option. This measure allows employers to offer fertility coverage directly to employees, similar to how companies provide dental, vision, or life insurance.
The new framework is intended to increase access to fertility care, particularly among small- and medium-sized employers that have historically struggled to include IVF or infertility coverage in their health plans. The agencies also said they plan to pursue additional rulemaking to further expand the ability of employers to offer these benefits.
According to federal data, only 42 percent of employers currently offer coverage for fertility services, and just 32 percent provide insurance for fertility medications or IVF procedures. By contrast, about 70 percent of large employers offer IVF coverage.
Administration officials said the new benefit structure could lead to higher success rates for families pursuing fertility treatments. Fertility benefit companies that provide such coverage have reported nearly 25 percent higher live birth rates among women who use employer-based fertility benefits compared with those who do not.
The announcement aligns with Trump’s stated goal of increasing access to IVF and lowering costs for American families. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly one in eight couples in the United States experiences difficulty conceiving, and the average IVF cycle costs between $12,000 and $25,000, with many patients requiring multiple cycles.
Trump linked the initiative to broader efforts to support working families and encourage family formation amid historically low U.S. fertility rates. The administration previously expanded the Child Tax Credit, introduced “Trump Accounts” to provide newborns with a $1,000 investment at birth, and supported tax deductions for parents of newborns.
The pricing agreement with EMD Serono and the new benefit framework for fertility coverage are expected to take effect in the coming months. The administration said it will continue to work with pharmaceutical manufacturers, regulators, and employers to ensure affordability, innovation, and access in fertility care.
If successfully implemented, the initiatives could reshape how fertility drugs are priced and how IVF is covered across the United States — offering potential financial relief to families pursuing parenthood through assisted reproductive technologies.