There is a critical sector that is still expected the worst before the tariffs of the United States: that of medicines

For three decades, pharmaceutical products have enjoyed green light in international trade in terms of tariffs. However, the commercial war unleashed by the tariffs of the new US government does not understand essential products.

Change of course. Upon yesterday, President Donald Trump announced A 90 -day truce to the introduction of tariffs in many countries. Did it one day After ensuring During the National Committee of the Republican Congress an upcoming introduction of “Great tariffs”To the pharmaceutical sector.

This raises an unknown to the European pharmaceutical industry, whose immediate future depends on whether this moratorium also means a pause in tariff fever that this week promised specific rates to this sector in principle exempt from tariffs that affect general trade.

An industry with its own rules. And until now the pharmaceutical industry had enjoyed tariff exemptions under the Agreement for Pharmaceutical Products of 1994 of the World Trade Organization, agreement in which the European Union, the United States and other countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Japan participate. The agreement eliminated tariffs and other surcharges in a variety of drugs and pharmaceutical products.

Tariff war. All this is part of the context of a commercial war unleashed by the new US tariffs. Although the tariff issue raised months on the table, the storm broke out last Friday when Trump announced outside the White House the amount of “reciprocal” tariffs that would be taxes to each country (already the European Union).

Yesterday, when the tariffs seemed to come true, the president of the United States turned back (more or less). He did announcing 125% tariffs on Chinese products and a 90 -day moratorium on other countries.

“Fast and radical” action. Trump’s announcement of industry -specific tariffEuropean Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations), appealed to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, take actions “fast and radical“Aimed at avoiding the” risk of exodus “of European producers to the United States.

On the other side of the puddle, analysts do not see this hypothetical exodus clear. “Although the details are scarce, we are strongly opposed to tariffs to any pharmaceutical product: these will probably do little to bring their manufacturing again to the US.” pointed to Reuters Evan Seigerman, BMO Markets BMO analyst. “Given the complexity of the pharmaceutical supply chain, we do not expect the industry to make substantial changes.”

Ozempic, in the eye of the hurricane. In recent days, Lars Fruerd Jørgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk, has also spoken, the company he developed Ozempic and Wegovy. The Danish company manager expressed a certain degree of concern: “Of course there will be short -term impacts while mitigating the impact of tariffs,” collect Bloomberg.

Ozempic’s case is relevant. On the one hand, for months we have seen how the demand for this drug against diabetes converted into weight loss treatment far exceeded its offer. The Danish recipe has, on the other hand, with a competitive formula created in the United States, the tirzepatida we found in Zepbound and Mounjarocreated by Eli Lilly laboratories.

The manager also put the focus on generic drugs. “As much as the highest category of drugs is that of generic medicines,” It also pointed to Bloomberg. “If you put tariffs, it is difficult for me to see that it will not lead to another situation of medicine shortage or in general to an increase in prices.” Despite this, the United States closely follows the future of prices of this drug to the point where they have spread Bulos on false tariffs To this product.

From Australia to Spain, through India. The question of the genericians has had echoes in distant countries such as India and Australia. In the “Aggravic list”Commercial of Spain, the pharmaceutical issue was manifested in a concern for pricing measures in pharmaceutical products, among other issues.

It is not only Spain: in Australia, the PBS program (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) has been at the center of the tariff discussion. This mechanism dedicated to the pricing of pharmaceutical products homogenizes drug In an article for The conversation Deborah Gleeson, from the University of La Trobe.

A key country in all this is India. This country is an important drug supplier for US pharmacies. Asian giant producers They fear that tariffs raise the price of their products, which will ultimately lead to a product increase in the US market.

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