Why Pharma Is Investing Back in the U.S.—And What It Means for Your Medicine

Policy sparks the shift, but patients feel the impact—faster access, steadier supply, and smarter support. We dig into why major pharma players are pouring billions into U.S. manufacturing, how most favored nation pricing is reshaping reimbursement strategy, and where digital medication tools close the gap between a written script and a successful outcome. With examples like Eli Lilly’s Texas investment and Pfizer’s recent pricing moves, we map the real-world changes that determine whether your therapy is affordable, on time, and easier to manage.

We walk through the trade‑offs behind reshoring: tighter quality control, shorter lead times, and greater resilience against geopolitical shocks versus the historic lure of lower-cost offshore production. Then we connect the dots to patient experience—what happens when factories are closer to demand, distribution is more predictable, and cybersecurity protects data as digital companions guide dosing, side effects, and adherence. For complex regimens like GLP‑1 therapies and oncology protocols, the combination of reliable supply and tailored digital support reduces stress, prevents missed doses, and improves outcomes that value‑based care models increasingly reward.

Throughout, we share how leaders across market access, IT, and the C‑suite are aligning strategy so affordability and reliability reinforce each other. Domestic capacity, policy adaptation, and data‑driven patient support aren’t parallel tracks—they’re a single system designed to deliver safer, more reliable therapies with fewer surprises. If you care about the future of drug pricing, supply chains, and real patient results, this conversation offers a clear, practical roadmap you can use to benchmark your own strategy or ask smarter questions at your next appointment. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help more people find these insights.

PostScripts Rx is not intended to constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to influence prescribing decisions or any other medical or clinical decision-making. All medical and clinical judgment and decision-making, prescribing decisions, and all related considerations remain exclusively the responsibility of providers and patients.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to PostScripts, the podcast
exploring what happens after thefirst prescription.
We cover innovations in patientaccess, support, digital tools,
HCP engagement, and pharmamarketing that drive better
outcomes.
This podcast is forinformational purposes only and
does not constitute medicaladvice.
Patients should always consulttheir healthcare professionals.

(00:22):
I'm Kathy Zarumba, SeniorDirector of Product Marketing at
MetaSafe, although the opinionsexpressed here are my own.
There has been quite a buzzlately around pharmaceutical
company investments.
So why are pharma investmentsbooming in the U.S.?
There's a clear trend ofpharmaceutical investment moving
back to U.S.
soil driven by policy changes,access challenges, and pricing

(00:46):
pressures from Washington.
Eli Lilly recently announced a$6.5 billion investment in a
Texas facility to produce itsoral GLP 1 obesity drug,
creating over 1,500 jobs.
And this week, in the spotlight,as the first pharma company to
respond, Pfizer made headlineswith a pricing deal with

(01:07):
President Trump, signaling howcompanies are responding to most
favored nation pricingpressures.
For patients, this isn't just aneconomic story.
Investment in U.S.
manufacturing means therapiesmay reach patients faster, with
fewer supply chain disruptions,and potentially at lower

(01:27):
out-of-pocket costs over time.
Most favored nation pricingaligns U.S.
drug prices with those in otheradvanced nations, capping
Medicare reimbursement forcertain drugs.
The U.S.
accounts for 41% of global farmand market value, but only 4% of
the population.

(01:48):
Standard treatment costs are 2.5times higher than the EU and up
to 10x higher than countriessuch as India or Brazil.
Patients feel the pressure whencosts rise or therapies are
delayed.
Most favored nation forces theindustry to rethink pricing and
access strategies, and domesticmanufacturing becomes a key way

(02:12):
to ensure patients can get thetreatments they need.
The return to U.S.
manufacturing is a currenttrend.
Offshore manufacturinghistorically made sense with
lower labor cost, simplifiedregulation, global supply.
But recent events have exposedrisks.

(02:33):
COVID-era supply chainfragility, geopolitical
disruptions, and public pressureto bring jobs and investments
back home.
Companies like Lily and Pfizerare reshoring not just to
control costs, but to ensurepatients have reliable, timely
access to medications.

(02:55):
This shift isn't just aboutfactories.
It's about business models thatintegrate access, quality, and
compliance.
So innovation and manufacturingagility bring faster, safer
access for patients.
Cost efficiency helps keeptherapies affordable and
sustainable.
And domestic sourcing andcybersecurity protect both

(03:18):
supply and patient data.
Pharma teams from Brandon Accessto IT and C-suite are aligning
strategies to ensure patientsbenefit from reliable,
affordable therapies.
One of the most impactful leversfor patients today is digital
medication management.

(03:39):
These tools provide personalizedreminders to help patients stay
on schedule, offer educationalsupport, helping patients
understand their therapy andpotential side effects, and
share real-world data withhealthcare providers, enabling
proactive intervention beforesmall issues become major
adherence problems.

(04:00):
Better adherence means betteroutcomes, which directly
benefits patients and supportsvalue-based care models for
payers.
For patients taking complexregimens, like GLP1 therapies or
oncology treatments, digitalcompanions reduce stress,
prevent missdoses, and improveoverall quality of life.

(04:24):
So looking forward, Pfizer'sdeal, alongside Lilly, Amgen,
and Novonordisk's multi-billiondollar U.S.
investments underscores a clearpattern.
Domestic investment andoperational agility are
strategic imperatives.
For patients, most favorednation pricing and digital
oversight translate to safer,more reliable therapies

(04:47):
delivered withtechnology-enabled support that
keep them inherent and informed.
Most favored nation pricing ismore than just a reimbursement
nuance.
It's a catalyst for change inpharma operations and patient
care.
Eli Lilly's mega project,Pfizer's Deal This Week, and
similar investments highlightthat the U.S.

(05:09):
competitiveness depends ondomestic operations and
patient-centered digital toolsthat measurably improve
outcomes.
For pharma leaders, aligningstrategy with this new reality
is an immediate call to action.
For patients, it means faster,safer, and more supported access
to the therapies they rely on.

(05:31):
Thanks for joining us onPostScripts.
Follow or subscribe for moreinsights at the intersection of
pharma, technology, and patientimpact.
Until next time, the real workbegins after the script is
written.