Posted originally on May 13, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
It is no secret that America is one of the unhealthiest nations in the developed world. We pay more for prescriptions and healthcare than any other nation, with illness constantly ranking as the number one factor for bankruptcy filings. Donald Trump announced a new executive order that will cap the prices of prescription medications by granting the United States Most Favored Nation (MFN) status.
“For many years the World has wondered why Prescription Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in the United States States of America were SO MUCH HIGHER IN PRICE THAN THEY WERE IN ANY OTHER NATION, SOMETIMES BEING FIVE TO TEN TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE SAME DRUG, MANUFACTURED IN THE EXACT SAME LABORATORY OR PLANT, BY THE SAME COMPANY??? It was always difficult to explain and very embarrassing because, in fact, there was no correct or rightful answer,” Trump wrote. “The Pharmaceutical/Drug Companies would say, for years, that it was Research and Development Costs, and that all of these costs were, and would be, for no reason whatsoever, borne by the ‘suckers’ of America, ALONE,” Donald Trump posted on Truth Social ahead of the declaration.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will match the lowest prices for medications among the MFN, and has a 30-day deadline to get it done. Unlike other programs that fought for affordable medicine through Medicare, this initiative is going after the private insurance plans.
“I’m doing this for the American people,” Trump said at the White House discussing the executive order. “I’m doing this against the most powerful lobby in the world probably, the drug lobby.” Trump sought to implement drug cost caps during his first term but his order was overturned by a federal judge.
Three-quarters of Big Pharma’s profits come from American citizens, although the US only composes 5% of the global population. On average, brand-name drug medications are over 4X higher in America compared to other developed nations.
America permits pharmaceutical super PACs from outside the US to influence our politicians. Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Roche, and AstraZeneca all donated to candidates during the 2024 election period. Yet, everyone was concerned about foreign interference. Look at the most recent election. Eli Lilly, under the Lilly PAC, donated over $180,000 to politicians running for the House and Senate on the right and left. Then individual CEOs donated the maximum individual contribution permitted by law. CEO David Ricks paid off Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie from Kentucky and donated to two PACs, including the Carolina Victory Fund, which donates solely to Democratic candidates.
Johnson and Johnson has the J&J PAC that paid out $500,000 from 2023 to 2024 to both Republicans and Democrats. AbbVie has its own super PAC as well, and CEO Robert Michael pays into the PAC monthly. Merck & Co. has the Merck PAC and paid out over $300,000 to members of the House and Senate. CEO Robert Davis shelled out the maximum personal contribution to candidates on both sides. Amgen has the Amgen PAC and a CEO who also donates to candidates but favors Republicans. Pfizer, of course, has become a Democratic-leaning organization. The Pfizer PAC donated 63% of its funding to Democrats compared to 37% to Republicans.
Canada and the majority of European nations, for example, have an agency that negotiates the prices of pharmaceuticals. The pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) works directly with manufacturers on behalf of all provinces to ensure that prescription medications are fairly priced. America has no such agency or advocate, and Big Pharma can price medications as high as it wants. The new executive order will allow Americans to bypass all the middlemen and buy directly from manufacturers.
It is a mistake to believe that this new order is a price cap. The government is not setting a fixed government-mandated price for medications. Drug manufacturers must reference price points to those paid by other nations, and this does permit fluctuations and market-based adjustments. The industry already has wide margins and has been permitted to unfairly rob the American people as bought politicians turn a blind eye to the corruption. People may fear the billionaires in the Oval Office, but for one thing, they cannot be bought.
Posted originally on May 13, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
Businesses cannot properly determine how much or when to buy due to ever-changing tariffs. Tariffs will certainly not halt trade, but they have caused a kink in the supply chain. The Port of Seattle reported a temporarily lack of any container ships last week.
“I can see it right over my shoulder here, I’m looking out at the Port of Seattle right now, and we currently have no container ships at berth,” Seattle port commissioner Ryan Calkins told CNN last Wednesday. “That happens every once in a while at normal times, but it’s pretty rare,” he added. “And so to see it tonight is I think a stark reminder that the impacts of the tariffs have real implications.” Calkins told CNN that he has not seen such a consistent lull in activity since the COVID era.
Long Beach Port CEO Mario Cordero also noted that the lull was reminiscent of the COVID era. “We are at a point of inflection. It’s kind of dire,” Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach CEO, told NBC. “What happens here is going to be an indication of what’s going to occur in the supply chain. We have less vessel calls, less cargo now.”
A 35% decline in traffic was reported at the Port of Los Angeles. “You could hear a pin drop,” said Port of Los Angeles Director Gene Seroka last week. “It’s very unusual.” Seroka also told AFP that American importers have reported having five to seven weeks of normal inventory on hand, with many retailers completely halting shipments from China.
Dock workers, truckers, and warehouse employees risk losing employment. Understandably, ports on the West Coast are feeling the impact first as they are the hub for shipments from Asia. Many expect the slowdown to spread to the Gulf eventually and then the East Coast ports.
Posted originally on CTH on May 12, 2025 | Sundance
Earlier today President Trump was questioned about the current status of Ukraine-Russia peace talks, as contrast against the upcoming meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin in Turkey this Thursday.
President Trump said he was optimistic about the meeting which is the first direct face-to-face discussion between the leaders of the two warring nations since the beginning of the conflict. “I would fly there if I thought it would be helpful,” Trump said. “Thursday’s meeting with Russia and Ukraine is really important. I was really insistent that that meeting take place. I think good things can come out of that meeting. Stop the bloodshed, it’s a bloodbath.” WATCH:
President Trump is traveling to the Middle East right now for a series of meetings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. President Zelenskyy quickly responded via Twitter, “all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Türkiye.”
There is a precedent for President Trump to make quick scheduling changes. You might remember he ditched the press conference in Canada at the conclusion of the G7 events, and shocked the world by showing up at the DMZ in North Korea to meet with Chairman Kim Jong-un. President Trump famously walked into North Korea without any security detail. It was one of the most bold and stunning events in recent political history.
Can you imagine if President Trump showed up at the meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. lol
If President Trump makes a few hours detour to Turkey on Thursday, the media will go bananas….
….Which is part of the reason the detour is entirely plausible.
Posted originally on CTH on May 12, 2025 | Sundance
Appearing on CNBC this morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives an outline of the discussions between the USA and China. Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held meetings with the Chinese delegation in Geneva, Switzerland this past weekend.
Pay attention to Secretary Bessent describing [05:40] how Chinese ‘overproduction’ is now reaching the shores of partnered nations, that is the element CTH previously outlined {SEE HERE}, which is a rather significant issue right now. The goods themselves are not ‘generic’ in nature, they are branded high-end products awaiting labeling and distribution once their component part of the global tariff is determined. This is part of the ‘urgency’ motive for Beijing to seek some understanding of the timeline.
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