Sanders Seeks Subpoena for Novo Nordisk President on Ozempic, Wegovy Pricing

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont took significant steps on Tuesday to address the high cost of some of Novo Nordisk's medications. He pushed for a subpoena to compel Doug Langa, the President of Novo Nordisk, to testify before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The focus of the hearing will be the pricing of Novo Nordisk's popular semaglutide brands, Wegovy and Ozempic. Sanders, who chairs the committee, expressed his concern over why these drugs are priced significantly higher in the U.S. compared to other developed nations.

The committee is scheduled to vote on the subpoena on June 18, with a hearing set for July 10. Sanders emphasized the issue by stating that it is unacceptable for American consumers to be charged exorbitant prices by large pharmaceutical companies that make substantial yearly profits. He revealed that despite numerous attempts to engage Novo Nordisk voluntarily, the company has consistently refused to comply.

This move follows an earlier action in April 2024, when the Senate committee initiated an investigation into the pricing of Ozempic and Wegovy. Sanders pointed out the stark differences in the cost of these drugs across various countries. For instance, in the U.S., Ozempic is priced at $969 per month, whereas in Canada, it costs $155, and in Germany, it is available for $59. Similarly, Wegovy is sold for $1,349 per month in the U.S., but only $92 in the U.K. Sanders highlighted these disparities to underline the financial burden on American patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

Sanders also expressed concerns about the broader implications of these high drug prices on the U.S. healthcare system. He noted that if Medicare and Medicaid were to cover Wegovy and other anti-obesity medications for half of their beneficiaries with obesity, the costs could skyrocket to $166 billion per year. This amount is comparable to what the two federal health programs spent on all retail prescription drugs in 2022.

Adding to the urgency of the situation, Sanders referenced a study published in March 2024 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study revealed that injectable formulations of semaglutide, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, could be manufactured profitably for less than $5 per month, a figure drastically lower than their current list prices. Moreover, the study suggested that the introduction of generic versions and a more competitive market could further reduce the prices of GLP-1 medications to as low as $0.75 per month.

These findings highlight the potential for significant cost savings if pharmaceutical companies were to lower their prices or if more affordable alternatives were made available. Sanders’ actions reflect a broader push to make essential medications more accessible and affordable for American consumers, challenging the pricing strategies of major pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk.

The upcoming Senate committee hearing aims to shed light on these pricing practices and explore potential solutions to alleviate the financial strain on U.S. healthcare programs and patients. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for drug pricing policies and the overall approach to healthcare affordability in the United States.

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