File photo for reference only

 

US President Donald Trump has unleashed a potential storm in the pharmaceutical world by announcing a 100% tariff on imported branded and patented drugs from October 1. The drastic measure will not apply to companies that are already building manufacturing plants in the United States. Trump’s statement on Truth Social suggests that firms can avoid this hefty tariff by starting construction on facilities within the country.

 

This tough stance follows Trump’s previous declarations of a 25% tariff on imported heavy trucks and a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, also set to kick in from October. These moves underscore Trump's strategy to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign imports in critical sectors. His comments on CNBC’s Squawk Box have raised eyebrows, as he mentioned that drug import tariffs could soar to 250%.

 

Experts worry that this tariff could lead to skyrocketing drug prices, impacting consumers reliant on imported medications. Pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to scramble and invest in US-based facilities while reassessing supply chains to mitigate potential disruptions. Some analysts see this as a strong-arm tactic by Trump to revitalise US manufacturing, but many are concerned about the immediate fallout on drug availability and costs.

 

Looking ahead, the situation might evolve rapidly as companies weigh the cost of building plants versus paying tariffs. Observers are keenly watching how this will play out in the broader economic landscape, particularly with the pharmaceutical industry's global operations intertwined so heavily with the US market.

 

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Trump introduces a 100% tariff on imported branded drugs by October 1.
• Companies with US-based manufacturing plans are exempt from this tariff.
• Pharmaceutical firms may face higher costs, affecting drug prices.

 

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-09-26

 

 

Forget about working out a trade deal with US, this man is a lunatic and changes his mind every minute. He will wreck the US economy with the tariff uncertainty. 

It'll be fine.

 

In case of negative economic effects, trump will tariff inflation, sanction newspapers publishing "fake news", and fire and deport any BLS employee that dares to report unamerican data.

 

The winning will never end under this (p)resident.  After all, doesn't the WHite House have the tallest and best flagpoles in the whole, wide world?

14 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

this man is a lunatic

 

Yes,.

And I LOVE this Lunatic.

 

There is no reason not to produce far more of medicines and precursors in North America.

In fact, a very good idea it is.

 

Automate the process as much as possible, and then set up factories in the USA and Canada.

 

And, let's chop the BigPharma profits off at the knees, too, while we are at it.

 

All drugs sold in the USA should be no more expensive than Taiwan pricing.

 

The USA is a much larger market, and so the prices for drugs in the USA should be LOWER not higher...!!!

 

 

I wonder if that means that poor Americans will be hit with the tariff when they cross the border to Mexico and bring back their much cheaper to buy in Mexico meds.

4 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

And, let's chop the BigPharma profits off at the knees, too, while we are at it.

 

Bhahahhahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

 

You don't get it...........Trump was playing golf with some of his Big Pharma buddies just a few days ago.  Where do you think this MAGAnificent idea came from?

1 minute ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Bhahahhahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

 

You don't get it...........Trump was playing golf with some of his Big Pharma buddies just a few days ago.  Where do you think this MAGAnificent idea came from?

 

You mean that you think that BigPharma might become displeased if we do away with 80-percent of their ill-gotten profits?

 

Then, the healthcare in the USA remains doomed.

Time to move to Taiwan for excellent and fair-priced healthcare.

 

Taiwan is one of the very few countries in the world that offers such a thing.

 

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I wonder if that means that poor Americans will be hit with the tariff when they cross the border to Mexico and bring back their much cheaper to buy in Mexico meds.

 

I would not buy any garbage from Mexico.

Better to buy drugs you need in Taiwan, with the gov quality controls.

You will need a local doc there, maybe...

 

 

So does this mean that Americans are going to start dropping like flies when vital drugs become too expensive, or does the US have patients and the manufacturing currently in place to cover these?

 

9 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

I would not buy any garbage from Mexico.

Better to buy drugs you need in Taiwan, with the gov quality controls.

You will need a local doc there, maybe...

 

You wouldn't but millions do especially near the border areas. Taiwan may as well be Mars to most of those people. 

Just now, Bert got kinky said:

 

So does this mean that Americans are going to start dropping like flies when vital drugs become too expensive, or does the US have patients and the manufacturing currently in place to cover these?

 

Trump doesn't care.

With his big ugly bill he's already kicking off many millions from health care access.

9 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

I would not buy any garbage from Mexico.

Better to buy drugs you need in Taiwan, with the gov quality controls.

You will need a local doc there, maybe...

 

I used to buy a blood thinner over the border in Mexico, less than a 1/4 of the price in the US. The medicine wasn't made in Mexico, somewhere in Europe I think. It's been awhile.

My point is there's nothing wrong with buying meds in Mexico.

The bloke is a nutter...........🤕

The grifter is getting stupider by the day if that was possible,but at least he will get the prices of drugs down by 1000 to 1500 percent. Or so the idiot reckons.

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Trump doesn't care.

With his big ugly bill he's already kicking off many millions from health care access.

 

Healthcare should be a right, just as it is in Taiwan.

 

It matters not who might be president of America.

The result will always be the same, concerning healthcare.

 

This truth is sad but accurate.

 

America is doomed, I say.

I am correct this time.

I do not care, this time, either.

 

23 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Yes,.

And I LOVE this Lunatic.

 

There is no reason not to produce far more of medicines and precursors in North America.

In fact, a very good idea it is.

 

Automate the process as much as possible, and then set up factories in the USA and Canada.

 

And, let's chop the BigPharma profits off at the knees, too, while we are at it.

 

All drugs sold in the USA should be no more expensive than Taiwan pricing.

 

The USA is a much larger market, and so the prices for drugs in the USA should be LOWER not higher...!!!

 

 

Trump's lunacy is creating the uncertainty for local pharmaceutical manufacturers to make the decisions to invest significant capital. Scaling domestic production, including importing ingredients from countries like China and India, to offset disrupted foreign supply chains is often impractical and costly. It is Trump's wet dream which unfortunately fooled some but not all. 

Anyone seen the 6 month Nasdaq/S&P chart? Should be a good indicator of how the Trump tariffs are working(or not)?

Anyone...?🤣

 

Good to see - about time USA stopped sponsoring the development of the world.  The US market is the biggest in the world and the only reasons there are so many imports into USA is that they have in the past used trade dals to boost moves to democracy and to help develop other countries. 

 

Of course the real reason is so that manufacturers can make huge profits because it is cheaper to make things like medications in India. The 'humanitarian' and 'democracy' benefits of USA sponsoring the manufacturing of other countries has not been realised - it was all a huge scam by big business.  Just look at China - when Clinton allowed China into the global markets it was all about growing them economically so that they would move towards a democratic form of Government - net result after 40 years - they are still Communists - even more so.  Same with Russia.

 

The USA should put the People and Economy of USA first and stop supporting the World.  Over time once things settle in, then if any particular country can compete in the USA market and their Govt gives USA manufacturers the same access, then go ahead.  But the last 30-40 years of USA lowering tariffs on overseas manufacturers, while those countries keep their tariffs on USA products and services, has failed to benefit the World overall and it has been at USA's expense. The real winners in this period, just like during Covid, has been the rich and wealthy - that is what they do - take advantage of massive changes in the world/country - and they will do it again (but inside USA this time).       

10 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Anyone seen the 6 month Nasdaq/S&P chart? Should be a good indicator of how the Trump tariffs are working(or not)?

Anyone...?🤣

 

Yep - going good again. Look over 10 years - note the surge from 2017 until that effin Covid hit. Starting to grow again after massive decline under Biden/Dems- with a blip down due to the tariffs, but in 70s when Trump/GOP arrived and now in 80s - was in 90s a short while ago and will be back there soon enough. 

59 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

I would not buy any garbage from Mexico.

Better to buy drugs you need in Taiwan, with the gov quality controls.

You will need a local doc there, maybe...

 

 

Like the millions of Americans who buy their prescription drugs from India by mail-order?

 

Hehe, Trump fixed that, too!

1 hour ago, Bert got kinky said:

So does this mean that Americans are going to start dropping like flies when vital drugs become too expensive, or does the US have patients and the manufacturing currently in place to cover these?

 

Keep in mind that the tariffs are calculated on the wholesale price, not retail.

 

When Pharma takes $100 worth of inputs, marks them up and sells them as $5,000 worth of medicine, the 100% tariff adds 2% to the cost to the consumer.

 

Bringing drug manufacturing back to the USA is more important in the long term.  If we don't, we're always vulnerable to supply interruptions at a time when it may not be as "convenient" for Americans.  Not to mention quality issues on chemicals imported from the 3rd world.

 

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I would not buy any garbage from Mexico.

Better to buy drugs you need in Taiwan, with the gov quality controls.

You will need a local doc there, maybe...

 

I used to pop into la farmacia every time I crossed the border to go bass fishing or even just bopping around border markets.  The same famous companies sell the same formulations in Mexico, much cheaper than they sell in the USA.  Plus, you can get a script right at la farmacia (usually no questions asked), saving another $100 or more visiting the doc in the USA.

 

35 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Anyone seen the 6 month Nasdaq/S&P chart? Should be a good indicator of how the Trump tariffs are working(or not)?

Anyone...?🤣

 

Dow Jones is up 8.2% and Nasdaq is up 25% and S&P is up 15.6% over the last 6 months. That doesn't fit your narrative though.

100% tariff on imported drugs? So when is he gonna cut prices by 1500% then??😆

Another unhinged American. He could be any one of 50 posters on AN.🙃🙃

49 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Anyone seen the 6 month Nasdaq/S&P chart? Should be a good indicator of how the Trump tariffs are working(or not)?

Anyone...?🤣

 

6 months is a very very small sample. Selective commentary. Do post again during a downturn. Thank You.🙃🙃

7 minutes ago, captain_shane said:

Dow Jones is up 8.2% and Nasdaq is up 25% and S&P is up 15.6% over the last 6 months. That doesn't fit your narrative though.

Whats my narrative? I posted here back when the narrative was were all doomed after tariffs were announced that i was going blls deep on nasdaq. It was perfect. Trump is THE MAN for making private investors rich.

I wonder how's working if no special cancer treatments available?

Shot in the foot 🤢

28 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Keep in mind that the tariffs are calculated on the wholesale price, not retail.

 

When Pharma takes $100 worth of inputs, marks them up and sells them as $5,000 worth of medicine, the 100% tariff adds 2% to the cost to the consumer.

 

Bringing drug manufacturing back to the USA is more important in the long term.  If we don't, we're always vulnerable to supply interruptions at a time when it may not be as "convenient" for Americans.  Not to mention quality issues on chemicals imported from the 3rd world.

 

 

Bringing drug manufacturing back to the USA is more important in the long term. 

OK, I am just asking because I genuinely do not know, will the US be able to manufacture the drugs which they don't hold the patent for?

 

 

 

27 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Keep in mind that the tariffs are calculated on the wholesale price, not retail.

 

When Pharma takes $100 worth of inputs, marks them up and sells them as $5,000 worth of medicine, the 100% tariff adds 2% to the cost to the consumer.

 

Bringing drug manufacturing back to the USA is more important in the long term.  If we don't, we're always vulnerable to supply interruptions at a time when it may not be as "convenient" for Americans.  Not to mention quality issues on chemicals imported from the 3rd world.

 

 

All points you make are valid.

 

Commercial companies will always follow the route which provide the highest profit potential.

 

This is why a commercial sector, such as we have in the USA, can never and should never provide healthcare solutions for Americans.

 

Let's take the opiate pushers of Purdue Pharma, as a good example of the dastardly deeds of a corrupt and wicked family of abusers.

 

The Oxy problem never happened in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, the government does not profit from pushing addictive drugs, meaning poison, to its citizens.

 

In America, everyone, AND THEIR GRANDMOTHERS, get thrown under the bus, just to make a profit for a very few in the top 0.01 percent.

No laws, no regulation, is put in place to protect the rest of us.

 

Americans are idiots, basically, because they allow this craziness to persist, year after year.

 

In Taiwan, by contrast, such a thing is a COMPLETE NON-ISSUE.

 

So then, who is it that is REALLY living in the 3rd world?

I say, other than members of congress, it must be the rest of Americans who are living in an underdeveloped nation.

Or, some have called it......A FAILED STATE

 

Oh, Noam, my friends and fellow-alum....

Where art thou now, when we still need you?