Emergency in the Oval Office

Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, quickly came to the assistance of Gordon Findlay, a Novo Nordisk executive, who became unconscious in the Oval Office on Thursday.

During an event where President Donald Trump, Oz, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other officials were discussing plans to reduce the cost of obesity medications, Findlay collapsed to his knees. Oz and two others acted promptly to help him.

White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt commented, “During a presentation in the Oval Office of the Most Favored Nation, a representative of a company fainted. White House medical units immediately sprang into action, and the gentleman is safe. The press conference will resume shortly.”

President Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk aimed at significantly lowering the prices of Ozempic and Wegovy, which are essential for managing diabetes and obesity. If the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the changes, Ozempic and Wegovy could see their prices reduced from $1,000 and $1,350 monthly to $350 through TrumpRx.

Additionally, the projected price for Zepbound and Orforglipron is expected to decrease from $1,086 to about $346 monthly. The new agreement would also permit Medicare and Medicaid to cover obesity medications, which would cost $245, with Medicare beneficiaries responsible for a $50 copayment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 40% of American adults are affected by obesity, as highlighted in a fact sheet.

In a related note, Philomena, Oz’s 11-year-old granddaughter, fainted during a swearing-in ceremony at the White House on April 18th.