This Is How GLP-1 Drugs Became So Affordable, So Fast
WASHINGTON, DC, OCT 27, 2026 — The Consumer Choice Center recently released a GLP-1 Prices tracker, a dated record of manufacturer cash prices for branded weight-loss drugs. The data show the first self-pay price cuts occurred in February and March 2025, months before the administration’s May 12, 2025, Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) executive order, which ties U.S. drug prices to what other wealthy countries pay.
Competition cut these prices, not the government.
“Washington wants credit for cheaper GLP-1s, but the price cuts started before the executive order did. Novo Nordisk cut Wegovy’s cash price by 23 percent in March 2025, and Eli Lilly cut Zepbound vial prices that same winter, as both companies competed for the same patients. That’s the market doing its job without the need for government price controls. Policymakers should clear the way for more competition, not freeze it in place,” says David Clement, The Consumer Choice Center’s Policy Director.
Wegovy’s self-pay price has fallen from $650 to $349 for a 28-day supply, even though the list price is around $1,349. Zepbound’s 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials launched at $399 and $549 in August 2024, but after two rounds of cuts, now sell for $299 and $399. The tracker also covers new products, including the Wegovy pill, Wegovy HD, and the Foundayo tablet.
“Prices fell twice in nine months while manufacturers competed for cash-paying patients. Since the federal pricing deals, there has been no change. Timing alone doesn’t prove the cause, but anyone who says MFN did the work should check the dates,” said Clement.
The Consumer Choice Center urges Congress and the administration to expand direct-to-patient purchasing and competition rather than importing foreign price controls. The CCC invites patients, reporters, and policymakers to explore the data at: consumerchoicecenter.org/glp-