Novo Nordisk announces plan to cut Ozempic and Wegovy prices up to 50 percent

One in eight Americans are taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy NewsHealthNovo Nordisk announces plan to cut Ozempic and Wegovy prices up to 50 percentOne in eight Americans are taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic and WegovyJulia Musto in New York Tuesday 24 February 2026 18:14 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverPopular weight loss drugs linked to scurvy, researchers sayYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe prices of popular weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are to fall dramatically from next year, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Tuesday.The list price of Wegovy will be cut in half on January 1, 2027, plummeting from around $1,350 to $675 a month. The cost of Ozempic will fall to $675 - around a third less than its current $1,027 monthly cost. Novo Nordisk’s diabetes pill Rybelsus, which sells for nearly $1,000 right now, will cost $675. The price drop will be in effect for any patients, whether or not they have insurance. The reductions are aimed at enhancing affordability and access for all Americans “dealing with the complexities of the evolving U.S. healthcare system,” Novo Nordisk said.Some 12 percent of Americans are taking weight loss drugs. according to a 2025 poll from non-profit KFF Health.open image in galleryPharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk said it would significantly lower prices for its most popular weight loss drugs amid a push from the Trump administration (AFP/Getty)Patients on the drugs have been calling for lower prices, Novo Nordisk U.S. operations executive vice president Jamey Millar said in a statement. "Our actions today answer that call and remove cost barriers so the value of Wegovy and Ozempic can be realized by more patients,” he added.The company’s announcement comes after the Trump administration partnered with Novo Nordisk last year along with its main competitor in the weight loss drug space, Eli Lilly & Company, Pfizer and dozens of other drugmakers to launch TrumpRx.gov. There are 43 drugs available on the site, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.During a November Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said that the partnership would help provide access for millions of patients to the drugs.“We believe that access to life-changing medicine should not be a privilege,” he said. “It is a societal promise.”The Trump administration claimed that TrumpRX.gov, which went live this month, would lower out-of-pocket costs for people paying for weight loss medications, and other kinds of drugs, without insurance.open image in galleryNovo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House last November. Doustdar said that partnering with the administration would help expand access to his company’s weight loss drugs (Getty Images)However, the effectiveness of TrumpRx.gov has been criticized by health experts, who say the site does not actually offer discounts for people who have insurance and may be able to pay even lower out-of-pocket prices.Social media users have also pointed out that TrumpRX operates similarly to existing drug discount sites, such as GoodRx, which provides the list prices for more than 30 TrumpRX medications.Since GLP-1 weight loss drugs hit the market in 2021, the obesity rate of U.S. adults dropped to 37 percent from a record 39.9 percent, according to a Gallup survey last year.Novo Nordisk said that lowering the price of Wegovy and Ozempic would help to further address the obestiy crisis."Lowering the list price of Wegovy and Ozempic is the best approach to address the unprecedented opportunity to help more than 100 million people living with obesity and over 35 million people with type 2 diabetes in the United States,” he said.More aboutWeight LossNovo NordiskOzempicWegovymedicationJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next