What Trump's IVF announcement means for women, families
Experts say the Trump administration's deal to increase access to in vitro fertilization, or IVF, by reducing fertility medication costs could be a game-changer for women and families in the U.S.
President Trump announced Thursday that the federal government had struck a deal with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono to lower the cost of some fertility medications, such as Gonal-F, which typically cost thousands of dollars.
The plan could benefit millions of Americans, including people facing fertility challenges due to a health condition such as cancer. Approximately 9% of men and about 11% of women of reproductive age in the U.S. are estimated to have some kind of fertility issue, according to CDC statistics. Globally, about 1 in 6 couples of reproductive age face fertility challenges in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization.
Below are key takeaways from Thursday's announcement.
What is the discount on fertility drugs?
For people who choose to buy fertility medications "directly from TrumpRx.gov," the White House says they can get "a discount equal to 796% of the deal price."
"Low- and middle-income women (those with incomes below 550% of the Federal poverty level) will receive an additional discount totaling 2,320% of the deal price when purchasing from TrumpRx.gov," the administration added.
What is the impact of reducing fertility drug costs?
Fertility drugs are only one part of the broader umbrella of assisted reproductive medicine, but lowering the financial burden of prescription medications can mean more people, including people facing health conditions that impact fertility, can have the option of realizing their dreams of having families in the long run.
"There will actually be new babies born because of this initiative," Dr. Zev Williams, director of Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, told ABC News.
"There'll be patients able to preserve their fertility before going through cancer treatment, who ... otherwise might not have been able to. There's a lot of really great things that will result from this," Williams said.
How common are fertility drugs?
For couples and women experiencing infertility or facing a fertility issue, fertility treatments like IVF -- where a woman's eggs are retrieved, fertilized with sperm outside the body in a lab, and then transferred back into her uterus via the cervix -- can be one option to grow their families.
For a long time, IVF and other fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination, or IUI, have been an expensive option, in part because of the drugs used in such treatments, such as Gonal-F, a prescription drug that mimics how follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) naturally work in a woman's body.
"These drugs are ubiquitous. These are the standard medications that patients use, not just when they're doing IVF, but even when they're doing things like egg freezing for fertility preservation," Williams said.
"The high cost of IVF medications has really been one of the biggest barriers that families have been facing," Williams added.
How expensive are fertility drugs?
Fertility drugs often cost thousands of dollars, and for many, they aren't covered by insurance. Many who undergo fertility treatments might also need to undergo multiple rounds of treatment, so the costs can quickly add up.
According to a study by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, one IVF cycle costs about $12,000 on average, though some studies put it closer to $20,000–$25,000, and the total cost can top $60,000 in the most expensive areas of the country.
When are the fertility drug discounts available?
The Trump administration and drugmaker EMD Serono estimate that the discounts for fertility medications will be available starting in January 2026.
"EMD Serono will participate in the TrumpRx.gov direct purchasing platform, which will go live in January 2026," the pharmaceutical company said in a news release. "Patients will continue to be able to access all EMD Serono's fertility medicines through the company's existing pharmacy network and through an expanded network in January 2026."
Anyone considering fertility treatments and fertility drugs should talk to their doctor about their options.
But for those where such drugs may be a good option, Williams called the deal "very practical and compassionate" and one that could "make an immediate impact for patients."
"Fertility, just the experience of it, is so, so difficult," said Williams. "The treatments for it can be challenging, and then on top of that, there could be this financial burden. And so, to be able to make this better is really, I think, a very wonderful thing."
