White House visitor faints during press conference: Trump just stands there and watches

One of the guests at Donald Trump's press conference dedicated to weight loss drugs lost consciousness right during the event, reports The New Republic.

During a November 6 press conference where Trump was unveiling a deal to reduce the cost of weight-loss drugs, a man fainted. The president simply stood by and watched.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the daytime talk show host Trump appointed to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, rushed to the man's aid (before his television career, Oz was a cardiologist before becoming known as a promoter of pseudoscience). While others rushed to the injured man, Trump, seated at his desk, slowly rose to his feet, watching the man fall to the floor.

On the subject: The White House will launch TrumpRx, a website that will sell drugs at low prices.

As the press was quickly escorted out of the room, Trump turned away from the prone man and stared into space.

Initially, some media outlets reported that the man who fainted was Novo Nordisk CEO Gordon Findlay. However, it was later revealed that he was one of the invited guests—a patient taking Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drug.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs mimic the action of the natural hormone GLP-1, which regulates blood sugar levels and appetite.

Initially, such drugs were developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but it was later discovered that they also help with weight loss.

Eli Lilly's best-known drugs in this class are Mounjaro and Zepbound. Both contain the substance tirzepatide, which affects not only GLP-1 receptors but also another hormone, GIP, making it particularly effective for weight loss.

CBS journalists Jennifer Jacobs and Aaron Navarro reported that the only Novo Nordisk representatives at the event were CEO Mike Dousdar and Executive Vice President Dave Moore. An Eli Lilly representative told Navarro that the victim was one of their invited guests.

Press secretary Caroline Leavitt said the man was "fine" and receiving care from the White House Medical Unit. Newsmax quickly reported that Trump (though he had no real involvement in the incident) was also "fine."

However, Trump himself did not look particularly energetic; he sat in his seat and read out the statement in a monotone.

According to a senior administration official, under Trump's new agreement with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, weight-loss drugs will cost patients between $50 and $350 per month, up from the current price of over $1000. However, for those whose prescriptions are covered by insurance, prices are unlikely to change significantly.

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The president's TrumpRx program, which aims to transform the federal government into a kind of pharmacy, is already raising serious concerns among legal and health experts. They warn that this marketing ploy is unlikely to benefit ordinary Americans and could lead to the disclosure of personal data that the government clearly doesn't know how to handle.

Already, other pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer and EMD Serono (a maker of fertility drugs), have struck deals to sell their products at discounts through TrumpRx in exchange for relief from the president's massive pharmaceutical tariffs.

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