U.S. Pharma Tariff Decision Pushed Back Several Weeks, Sources Say

The Trump administration is expected to delay by several weeks the release of a Commerce Department report on whether U.S. reliance on foreign-made medicines poses a national-security risk, according to four government and industry officials familiar with the matter. The findings were originally slated for mid-year, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick most recently promising completion by the end of July. The investigation, opened in April under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, could pave the way for the first sector-specific U.S. tariffs on pharmaceutical products. President Donald Trump has said levies may begin modestly and escalate to as high as 250%, giving drugmakers time to shift production to the United States. Sources told Reuters that the administration is prioritising other initiatives, including preparations for a U.S.–Russia summit in Alaska, and may unveil results from a separate semiconductor probe before turning to pharmaceuticals. A White House spokesperson said any timetable remains speculative until confirmed by the president. Global drug manufacturers are bracing for the ruling, which would follow earlier Section 232 tariffs on metals and autos. Industry groups warn that duties on finished drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and raw materials could push up consumer costs and clash with the administration’s stated goal of lowering prescription-drug prices.