Commercial Awareness Compass
Patent pending: how Trump’s tariff tests global pharma
Amy Hopkins & Matthew White
Published Thu, 18 Dec
President Trump has proposed a one hundred percent tariff on branded and patented pharmaceutical imports. While these were due to take effect by October 2025, companies are still in negotiations and might be eligible for an limited exemption from the tariff if they shift manufacturing to the US or agree to reduce the prices of certain products. The measure is part of a wider plan to rebuild domestic manufacturing and reduce the US trade deficit.
Officials say it will strengthen national security, but the pharmaceutical industry has warned of major disruption to global supply chains and rising drug prices across Europe and beyond.
The proposal raises difficult questions for both governments and lawyers. How would a policy like this reshape pharmaceutical trade? Which countries and companies would bear the greatest cost? And what does this mean for innovation, intellectual property and access to medicines worldwide?
Register for free to read the full article
Unlock access to exclusive resources! Register to gain insights, study guides, and career tools.
