Witnesses at Senate hearing say U.S. drug prices remain high despite Trump claim

At a hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, witnesses disputed President Trump’s State of the Union statement that the United States now pays the lowest prescription drug prices in the world.

A questioner began the exchange by quoting the president’s line that he “took prescription drugs from the highest price in the entire world to the lowest.” The panel was asked whether Americans pay the highest or lowest prescription drug prices.

Mr. Weisman, a witness, answered succinctly: “The highest.” Mr. Long, another witness, said lowering prices “is going to take time” and added, “I don’t believe that’s true right now.” Dr. Miller, also a witness, said pricing "varies," noting that the U.S. pays lower prices for generics but that the situation differs by drug.

The questioner summarized the exchange by saying witnesses indicated the United States pays “substantially higher prices on average for drugs,” signaling the panel’s skepticism of the president’s claim.

The exchange focused on whether recent policy changes have produced price levels lower than those of other countries. Witnesses provided differing framings—some offering a short categorical rebuttal while others emphasized nuance and variation across drug classes. The hearing record in these segments contains no formal determination or vote on drug-pricing policy.