Jasmin Espinosa BROWNSVILLE – The Trump Administration proposed a 100% tariff on imported branded or patented drugs unless companies begin construction for manufacturing plants within the country.
The administration’s tariff proposal has yet to go in effect; however, some companies, such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca, have already made deals with the U.S. to gain exemption.
Pharmaceutical drugs for weight loss, asthma and cancer may be affected, making it more expensive for people who use these products.
According to a White House fact sheet, the decision comes from Trump’s plan to decrease prices of prescription drugs in the United States to match the lowest price offered in other developed nations.
However, Certified Pharmacy Technician Natalia Lundstedt said companies such as Eli Lilly, that gets its products from China and India, are more likely to be affected since it’s considered one of the main manufacturers.
“I know Eli Lilly, one of the main manufacturers, would get hit the hardest or get hit hard with it, but definitely, the name brand is already expensive and some of them already cost a couple thousand dollars,” Lundstedt said. “So, the cost of those would go up and even if it’s not name brand, generics will go up too due to the import cost of the ingredients.”
On Sept. 23, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Eli Lilly and Company plans to build a new $6.5-billion-plus facility to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients at Generation Park in Houston.
The construction of the facility may exempt Eli Lilly from the proposed tariff, but as of the publication of this story, the company had yet to been exempt.
