A pharmaceutical executive collapsed beside US President Donald Trump during his Oval Office announcement on new obesity drug price cuts, abruptly halting the live event.
The incident occurred just moments after Trump unveiled a landmark deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to dramatically lower the price of popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound.
According to the Associated Press, the man -- identified by witnesses as Novo Nordisk executive Gordon Findlay -- lost his balance and fell to the ground. Dr. Mehmet Oz, who now heads the Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services, rushed forward to assist, preventing the man from hitting his head.
“The room went silent. Secret Service and medics moved in instantly,” one reporter posted on social media. “Trump looked visibly concerned.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the incident, saying, “During the Most Favored Nations Oval Office Announcement, a representative with one of the companies fainted. The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay. The Press Conference will resume shortly.”
The event, which featured top pharmaceutical executives and administration officials, was intended to spotlight the administration’s new Most Favored Nations drug pricing initiative, a plan to make GLP-1 medications more affordable for millions of Americans.
Trump said the deal would allow manufacturers to sell these drugs directly to consumers through TrumpRx, a federal website set to launch next year, offering oral versions for as low as $149 per month, pending FDA approval.
