The United States has introduced sweeping new tariffs targeting patented pharmaceutical products and their ingredients, with duties set to take effect later this year. The measures respond to national security concerns identified by the Secretary of Commerce regarding the country's reliance on imported medicines and raw materials.

The headline tariff rate is set at 100%, though reduced rates apply in a number of circumstances — including for products originating from the EU, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and for companies that commit to manufacturing within the US. Generic medicines, which are off-patent and off exclusivity, fall outside the scope of the measures entirely.

Several exemption routes are also available, covering certain specialist product categories and companies that have reached pricing agreements with US authorities.

For life sciences businesses that import into the US market, the practical implications are significant. Companies should be reviewing their supply chains, tariff classifications and pricing structures, and exploring whether any exemptions or mitigation strategies — such as onshoring plans or duty drawback programmes — are available to them.