Pharmaceutical Technology

EMD Serono partners US government to widen IVF access

The partnership is in accordance with a White House Executive Order aimed at enhancing affordable access

sdebbarma October 17 2025

Merck’s healthcare division in Canada and the US, EMD Serono, has signed an agreement with the Trump administration to expand access to the company’s in vitro fertilisation (IVF) therapies for more than 10 million American women struggling to conceive.

EMD Serono agreed to provide direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales of its entire range of IVF therapies, including Ovidrel (choriogonadotropin alfa injection), Cetrotide (cetrorelix acetate for injection) and Gonal-f (follitropin alfa injection), to qualified patients with prescriptions at lower prices.

When all three therapies are included in a standard IVF protocol, patients will benefit from an 84% reduction on list prices.

EMD Serono is set to take part in the TrumpRx.gov direct purchasing platform, scheduled to launch in January 2026.

Patients will have access to an expanded network available from early next year, as well as all of EMD Serono's fertility medications through the company's current pharmacy network.

This public-private partnership is in accordance with the White House Executive Order aimed at enhancing affordable access to IVF.

EMD Serono has also reached an agreement with the US Secretary of Commerce to exempt its pharmaceutical products and ingredients from Section 232 tariffs, contingent upon the company’s investment in future biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research in the US.

Merck executive board chair and CEO Belén Garijo stated: “We have a strong presence in the US across all three of our business sectors, with a significant number of our employees based in this key market, and look forward to growing our footprint here even further with future fertility manufacturing.

“We are committed to working with the US administration to add value over the long term, ensuring that our patients and customers continue to have access to and benefit from the innovations within our portfolio.”

In September 2025, Merck and Siemens signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance their strategic partnership, aimed at accelerating digital transformation in the life sciences sector.