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President Donald Trump on Thursday announced new steps to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments more affordable, unveiling a deal with major drug and pharmacy companies to lower the cost of a key fertility medication.
The announcement marks the administration’s first major policy move on IVF since February, when Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to find ways to reduce treatment costs. But the latest measure stops short of requiring health insurers to cover IVF, a pledge Trump made on the campaign trail.
“We want to make it easier for all couples to have babies, raise children and start the families they have always dreamed about,” Trump said during an Oval Office briefing.
The administration said it had reached an agreement with drugmaker EMD Serono, part of pharmaceutical giant Merck, and specialty pharmacies CVS Specialty and Express Scripts’ Freedom Fertility, to cut prices on Gonal-f, a widely used fertility drug that stimulates egg production.
EMD Serono said the medications would be sold at up to 84% off list prices through TrumpRx, a federal direct-to-consumer prescription website launching in early 2026. The company added that its fertility drugs would be exempt from certain industry tariffs in exchange for increased investment in U.S.-based manufacturing and research.
“Upwards of 40% of the cost of IVF comes from the specialty drugs used for this treatment. Reducing these costs can have a significant impact on affordability and access,” said Dr. Roger Shedlin, CEO of WIN, a fertility benefits company.
Most IVF patients pay out of pocket for treatment, which can cost more than $17,000 for medications alone, according to Dr. Kaylen Silverberg, a fertility specialist and chair of the advocacy group Americans for IVF.
“This is the first administration in 20 years that’s even wanted to talk about this,” Silverberg said. “We turned on the president’s news conference in my office today, and I had people standing there crying because they are so happy.”
Under the new program, the discounted prices will vary based on income, with the steepest savings for patients earning below 550% of the federal poverty level, officials said.
The White House also announced that the Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services departments will issue guidance allowing employers to offer fertility benefits outside of traditional health insurance — similar to dental or vision plans.
Trump has framed IVF as a key part of his pro-family agenda, calling himself the “father of IVF” during his 2024 campaign. But the administration has faced pushback from anti-abortion groups, some of which oppose IVF on moral grounds because the process can involve discarding embryos.
The new agreement is part of Trump’s broader effort to link U.S. drug prices to those in other wealthy nations, a model known as “most favored nation” pricing. The White House said it is continuing negotiations with other manufacturers to expand discounts on additional fertility medications.
Sean Tipton, chief advocacy officer for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, called the initiative a “crucial first step,” but added that “one executive action cannot, on its own, ensure that every patient who needs IVF can access it.”
EMD Serono also confirmed it is seeking FDA approval for its Pergoveris fertility drug, already approved in Europe. Administration officials said the application will receive priority review status to speed up consideration.
