White House GLP-1 pricing deal announced amid executive fainting

A pharmaceutical executive fainted in the Oval Office on Thursday as President Donald Trump and government and industry officials announced a new initiative to lower prices and expand access to weight-loss drugs, briefly halting the event while medical staff attended to the man. The incident occurred during the announcement that included executives from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk and was captured on live video before White House staff cut the feed and asked reporters to leave the room.

Witnesses said the man, standing behind the president as Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks spoke, suddenly collapsed as his knees buckled. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and others moved quickly to ease the man to the ground. White House aides and on-site medics tended to him and elevated his legs while reporters were escorted from the Oval Office. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement saying, "During the Most Favored Nations Oval Office Announcement, a representative with one of the companies fainted. The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay. The Press Conference will resume shortly."