by Vanaessa Sivadge
Trump took on Big Pharma and won—now he must stand firm against billionaires and bureaucrats trying to undo his victory for American patients and families.
When President Trump convinced AstraZeneca (on October 10) and Pfizer (on September 30) to lower their Medicare and Medicaid prices to match those charged in other countries, it was a major victory for American consumers. For decades, Americans have paid the highest prescription drug prices in the world, effectively subsidizing other nations’ cheaper costs. Trump finally forced Big Pharma to play fair.
Even billionaire Mark Cuban had to admit it was a win. “Look at the Pfizer stock price,” he told The Washington Reporter. “It went up. This can be a positive for sure.” But in the very next breath, Cuban tried to steer the Trump administration toward policies that would undo much of that progress, urging action against the pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, that Big Pharma has long despised. Days later, he was back at the anti-PBM advocacy on X.
Cuban is completely out of line in villainizing PBMs. They are just companies that many employers hire to negotiate lower drug prices for those on their health plans. Casey Mulligan, who served as Chief Economist on Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, found that PBMs save Americans an astonishing $148 billion a year through their wheeling and dealing with the drug companies.
In other words, PBMs are the only thing standing between patients and the unchecked greed of pharmaceutical giants. Big Pharma hates them because they squeeze their profit margins and stop the drugmakers from charging whatever they want.
But why does Cuban?
Well, the billionaire owns a company called Cost Plus Drugs that also negotiates drug prices and thus stands to profit if PBMs are regulated out of existence.
Translation: the former Shark Tank star seems to be acting like just another crony capitalist using the government to eliminate his competition. Sad, right?
Ironically, though, Cuban’s company actually works with some PBMs when it suits Cuban’s interests, so deep down, he must know they are effective.
For years, Cuban had an ally in the Biden administration. Under Biden’s Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, the agency tried to paint PBMs as the enemy instead of Big Pharma, suing them for raising prices with no evidence whatsoever. While that’s the exact opposite of reality, facts never got in the way of Khan’s agenda. She was too busy chasing headlines and receiving the praises of those in the Reddit Democratic Socialism community.
Trump FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson pointed out that Khan even released an anti-PBM report that relied in large part on anonymous submissions from the public for much of its substantiation. Could those comments have been submitted to the FTC by Big Pharma or consultants hired by the pharmaceutical companies? You bet. In Ferguson’s words, “We therefore cannot be sure how much weight, if any, to accord them.” But Khan pushed onward.
Now, Cuban wants Trump to finish what Khan started. So, we have Mark Cuban, Big Pharma, and Lina Khan all on one side; PBMs and everyday American patients on the other.
As someone who cares deeply about the direction of this country and the agencies that claim to serve us, the role of the FTC in protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices is something I am deeply grateful for under the leadership of FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson. I testified on the whistleblower panel at the FTC’s July 9, 2025, workshop to expose the deceptive and unethical practices I witnessed firsthand as a pediatric nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital. I saw how families—often scared and desperate—were misled into consenting to irreversible gender medical interventions for their children, based on emotionally charged and unsupported claims like “your child will commit suicide if you don’t affirm them.” These treatments, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, were frequently prescribed without full disclosure of long-term risks such as infertility, loss of sexual function, and lifelong medical dependence.
What’s deeply troubling is how this industry has become a highly profitable machine, with Big Pharma at its center. Pharmaceutical companies are making billions off children being placed on drugs that create permanent patients. I saw diagnoses manipulated to justify insurance coverage, and I saw how the truth was hidden from parents under the guise of “gender-affirming care.” That’s why the FTC’s role is so important. It has the authority and responsibility to investigate these deceptive practices, hold the companies and providers accountable, and protect vulnerable families from being exploited for profit.
President Trump has already proven he’s willing to take on the drug companies and win. As we look ahead, it’s critical that the Trump administration continues to stand firm in protecting consumers from corporate greed—especially in healthcare.
American families deserve transparency, not manipulation; care, not exploitation. The unchecked influence of Big Pharma has led to skyrocketing medication costs and a system where profit too often outweighs patient well-being. By holding pharmaceutical companies and their partners accountable, the administration can save families from unnecessary financial burdens and ensure that medical decisions are based on truth and safety—not on how much money can be made. This fight isn’t just about policy—it’s about protecting the health, trust, and wallets of everyday Americans.
***
Vanaessa Sivadge, the president of Protect Texas Children, is a
pediatric registered nurse and whistleblower who exposed the illegal use
of Medicaid to cover cross-sex hormones and transgender treatments for
minors at Texas Children’s Hospital. She recently testified at the
Federal Trade Commission’s whistleblower panel as well as before the
House Judiciary Committee’s “Ending Lawfare Against Whistleblowers Who
Protect Children” hearing.
Source: https://amgreatness.com/2025/10/26/trump-keeps-crushing-the-pharma-special-interests/
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