U.S. President Donald Trump has for over a year threatened to impose steep tariffs on the pharmaceutical industry, with rates potentially reaching 100% to 200%. According to the latest reports, the Trump administration may announce as early as this Thursday that companies which have neither reached agreements with the government nor committed to offering lower-priced drugs in the U.S. will face new tariffs.

The move is primarily aimed at forcing drug manufacturers to relocate production back to the United States, while also driving down domestic drug prices. Major pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Eli Lilly have already reached agreements with the White House, securing a three-year exemption from such tariffs.

The policy stems from an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows tariffs to be imposed on national security grounds. Sources indicate that companies not engaged in negotiations could face tariffs of up to 100%. However, as the details have not yet been finalized, the plan remains subject to change, and certain drugs or disease categories may be exempted.

Overall, the Trump administration is leveraging tariffs as a negotiation tool to balance two key objectives: reshoring pharmaceutical manufacturing and reducing drug prices, while reshaping the U.S. drug supply chain.

【2025-04-02/ Chinatimes】