TrumpRx Starts at US$350, Phases to US$245 as Canada Goes Generic

What the U.S. Deal Covers

The arrangement announced by U.S. President Donald Trump involves Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk and is set to expand U.S. Medicare coverage of Zepbound and Wegovy, with a US$50 copay for qualifying patients beginning next year [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]. The CBC report notes that U.S. monthly costs for these products have run upward of US$500 for higher doses, with access constrained by spotty insurance coverage [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197].

Canadian Prices Already Lower

Dr. Nisha Gupta, an endocrinologist and postdoctoral fellow at McGill University, told CBC News that with exchange rates factored in, Canadian prices for GLP-1 drugs are already "significantly less" than what TrumpRx will offer [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]. CBC reported that Canadians currently pay anywhere from C$300 to C$500 per month for GLP-1 medications, including semaglutide brands such as Ozempic and Wegovy [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]. Current verified pharmacy prices tracked on GLP1Prices.ca show Ozempic ranging from C$215 to C$663 and Wegovy from C$270 to C$550, broadly consistent with the CBC range.

Generic Approvals Add Pressure North of the Border

The BMJ reported on May 19, 2026 that Canada became only the second country in the world to approve a generic form of semaglutide, made possible after Novo Nordisk did not pay a C$250 annual fee [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166.full.pdf]. Two generic versions of injectable semaglutide were approved by Health Canada in recent weeks, from India's Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and the Canadian company Apotex, with seven other applications still under review [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166.full.pdf]. The Dr. Reddy's product became available in Canada on May 15, 2026, while Apotex's release date had not been set at the time of the BMJ report [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166.full.pdf].

Erez Israeli, chief executive of Dr. Reddy's, said in a press release that the company is "dedicated to expanding access to innovative, high-quality, affordable GLP-1 [glucagon-like peptide-1] treatments for patients with diabetes in the country" [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166.full.pdf].

Price Forecasts for Canadian Generics

Mina Tadrous, an associate professor who evaluates pharmaceutical prices at the University of Toronto, has estimated that generic competition could bring the Canadian price for the same strength of semaglutide product down to under C$100 from C$400 [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]. Gupta cautioned that it is unclear what type of generic version will become available, since semaglutide is given at different doses for different products with a range of costs [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197].

Tirzepatide Pricing Context

Tirzepatide products from Eli Lilly are not directly affected by semaglutide generic entry, but Lilly filed updated Canadian list prices for Mounjaro and Zepbound KwikPen presentations effective December 29, 2025 [Source: glp1prices.ca/blog/eli-lilly-mounjaro-zepbound-price-cut-canada-2026]. The reductions came days before updated Patented Medicine Prices Review Board guidelines took effect on January 1, 2026 [Source: glp1prices.ca/blog/eli-lilly-mounjaro-zepbound-price-cut-canada-2026].

Public Plan Spending

CBC cited a federal report indicating that between 2017-18 and 2022-23, total prescription drug spending for Canada's public drug plans rose by more than C$3 billion to over C$14 billion, with three antidiabetic medications including Ozempic collectively contributing nearly two per cent to the growth in drug costs [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]. The same report noted Ozempic alone has more than 200,000 country-wide beneficiaries [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197].

• TrumpRx starting price: about US$350, falling to US$245 over two years [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]
• Canadian price range cited by CBC: C$300 to C$500 monthly [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-trumprx-cheaper-insurance-9.6970197]
• Generic semaglutide approvals in Canada: two so far, seven applications pending [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166.full.pdf]

For readers comparing options, GLP1Prices.ca maintains a generic semaglutide tracker and an insurance coverage checker, with additional background on our FAQ.