Trump Administration Postpones New U.S. Tariffs on Pharmaceutical

The anticipated rollout of fresh tariffs on pharmaceutical imports into the United States has been temporarily suspended, PulseNets learnt from reliable government sources. The measures, initially scheduled by President Donald Trump to take effect on October 1, will no longer commence as earlier announced.

Instead, a senior U.S. official told PulseNets that the administration is shifting focus toward preparing tariffs that specifically target pharmaceutical companies unwilling to either relocate their production to American soil or reduce drug prices. The official, however, declined to provide a clear reason for the sudden delay.

Earlier, President Trump had stunned industry stakeholders when he announced that “a 100 per cent tariff will be applied on all branded and patented medicines entering the United States from October 1.” That declaration sent ripples across the global pharmaceutical market, sparking concerns among manufacturers and consumers alike.

According to information obtained by PulseNets, drugmakers were given an alternative path to avoid the steep tariffs by investing in U.S.-based production facilities, although the administration has yet to clarify the finer details of how such exemptions would operate.

Just ahead of the intended start date, officials clarified that the European Union would not be fully subject to the harsh new tariffs. Instead, “EU imports of pharmaceutical products will continue to attract only a 15 per cent tariff under the revised policy,” a U.S. official reported to PulseNets.

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Industry analysts have pointed out that this exemption could soften the blow for European manufacturers while placing added pressure on companies from other regions to quickly adjust to Washington’s new trade posture.

(dpa/PulseNets)