TAPP Calls Out Trump Administration’s Risky New Pharmaceutical Tariffs

President Trump’s administration is rolling out a questionable new tariff policy: 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals made outside the United States. The ostensible goal is to deliver more domestic manufacturing, but instead, it creates real risks for patients, affordability, and access to care.

The first risk these tariffs pose is the uncertainty over which countries and companies will be most affected. Not every drug will be affected. Companies that are already building or expanding manufacturing plants in the United States will be exempt. Generic drug imports won’t be affected, and medicines produced in the European Union will face a reduced tariff of 15%. With many details like these still unclear, there’s growing uncertainty over how this policy will affect global pharmaceutical supply chains and pricing.

In addition to the uncertainty caused by the tariffs, there is potential for unintended consequences. These measures could drive up costs across the healthcare system, limit access to essential medicines, and create instability for patients who rely on consistent drug availability. With more than half of Americans already concerned about drug affordability, the United States cannot afford for prices to rise further because of unnecessary tariff policies.

The solution to this issue lies in striking a balance between affordability, innovation, and security. If the Trump Administration truly wants to boost U.S. prescription drug production, it must find an approach that incentivizes these things, while not harming Americans who rely on access to life-changing and life-saving prescription drugs.

TAPP calls on the Trump Administration to repeal its pharmaceutical tariffs. A successful strategy must go beyond punitive tariffs and focus on brokering new agreements with manufacturers and investing in research and development.