Pfizer says it will postpone price increases after discussions with Trump

• Pfizer announced on Tuesday it would postpone drug price hikes after an "extensive" conversation between the company's CEO and President Donald Trump. 
• Drug prices will return to the levels they were prior to July 1 as soon as possible and remain at those lower levels until the end of the year, or until Trump's health-care plan goes into effect — whichever comes sooner.

Ian Read, chief executive officer of Pfizer

Adam Hunger | Reuters

Pfizer announced on Tuesday it would postpone drug price hikes after an "extensive" conversation between the company's CEO and President Donald Trump.

"Pfizer shares the President’s concern for patients and commitment to providing affordable access to the medicines they need,” Pfizer CEO Ian Read said in a statement.

The company said it would defer price increases, effective July 1, to give Trump "an opportunity to work on his blueprint to strengthen the healthcare system and provide more access for patients."

Drug prices will return to the levels they were prior to July 1 as soon as possible, according to Pfizer. The prices will remain at those lower levels until the end of the year, or until Trump's health-care plan goes into effect — whichever comes sooner.

Trump praised Pfizer's decision on Twitter.

"We applaud Pfizer for this decision and desire other companies do the same," Trump said in a tweet.

@realDonaldTrump tweet: Just talked with Pfizer CEO and @SecAzar on our drug pricing blueprint. Pfizer is rolling back price hikes, so American patients don’t pay more. We applaud Pfizer for this decision and hope other companies do the same. Great news for the American people

On Monday, Trump took aim at Pfizer and other U.S. drugmakers after they raised prices on some of their medicines on July 1, saying his administration would act in response.

Read the full statement from Pfizer below:

Following an extensive discussion with President Trump today, Pfizer’s Chairman and CEO Ian Read announced that it will defer the company’s price increases that were effective on July 1 to give the president an opportunity to work on his blueprint to strengthen the healthcare system and provide more access for patients. The company will return these prices to their pre-July 1 levels as soon as technically possible, and the prices will remain in effect until the earlier of when the president’s blueprint goes into effect or the end of the year – whichever is sooner. In addition, the price declines the company took as of July 1 will remain in effect.

"Pfizer shares the President’s concern for patients and commitment to providing affordable access to the medicines they need,” said Ian Read. “The most fundamental way the biopharmaceutical industry creates value is by discovering innovative medicines that help people live longer, healthier, more productive lives. We have entered an exciting new era with scientific advances that will result in future breakthroughs and cures. This highly complex and important work also generates hundreds of thousands of highly skilled jobs across the U.S. Furthermore we have recently committed $5 billion of capital to expand our manufacturing in the U.S. We are encouraged that the President recognizes the value our industry brings to society and our ability to fulfill our mission to discover and bring innovative new medicines to patients.”