Britain may soon be hit with a massive 100% tariff on pharmaceutical exports to the U.S., according to sources familiar with President Donald Trump’s
latest trade move.
On Thursday, Trump revealed a plan that would effectively double the cost of imported drugs unless pharmaceutical companies set up manufacturing operations inside the United States. The idea, the administration says, is to bring more drug production back home and reduce America’s dependence on foreign supply chains.
The European Union and Japan, however, won’t be affected. Both regions had previously struck trade agreements with Washington that capped pharmaceutical tariffs at 15%. Britain, despite being the first country to finalize a trade deal with Trump, hasn’t yet settled the details around drug tariffs—leaving it exposed to the new policy.
According to U.S. trade data, pharmaceuticals from the U.K. made up about 3.3% of America’s drug imports in 2024. While not the largest share, the sharp tariff hike could have big consequences for British drugmakers and potentially ripple into U.S. drug prices if companies pass on costs to consumers. Photo by Julphar.uae, Wikimedia commons.