A brief moment of panic struck the White House on Thursday when a man collapsed behind former President Donald Trump during an event in the Oval Office. The incident occurred while Trump was announcing new deals with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut the cost of weight-loss drugs.
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was speaking when one of the company’s guests, identified as Gordon, fainted. People nearby quickly helped him to the floor as Trump stood up from behind his desk. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, examined the man and confirmed he was fine.
The event was paused for about an hour while the man received medical attention. When it resumed, Trump assured attendees that Gordon had only felt light-headed and was under doctors’ care. Ricks later said the White House medical team responded swiftly and that Gordon was recovering well.
Trump’s announcement revealed that Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk would offer major discounts on their popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, Zepbound and Wegovy. The deal aims to make these high-demand medications more affordable for American patients.
