Pharmaceuticals face 100% tariffs in US – unless firms strike a deal (bbc.com)

by geox 31 comments 38 points
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31 comments

[−] JumpCrisscross 42d ago
Got to love whoever looked at prescription drugs as a political issue and concluded what’s needed are higher prices in an election year.
[−] CamperBob2 42d ago
Republicans don't seem to be particularly worried about the election.

I'm sure it's fine, though, nothing to lose any sleep over.

[−] JumpCrisscross 42d ago

>

Republicans don't seem to be particularly worried about the election

The ones with races this November sure seem to be flipping out.

[−] p_j_w 42d ago
If that were true the entire House would be flipping out. They aren't.
[−] JumpCrisscross 42d ago

>

the entire House would be flipping out. They aren't

Based on reporting and fundraising, it looks like GOP members with races this midterm are, but I guess we’re both going off vibes and loose data.

[−] josefritzishere 42d ago
I don't want to sound dramatic but he is quite literally playing chickens with peoples lives. This is not mentally sound behavior, nor strategically coherent.
[−] rayiner 42d ago
How is this riskier or less “mentally sound” than what European countries do? European drug price caps are premised on the threat that, if drug companies don’t sell at those prices, that the government will bar sales of the drug in the country, or drop the drug from coverage under the public health system.

Here, there is no threat that the drugs will be banned from the market completely. The threat is that the drug companies will face high tariffs that reduce sales. That’s a much less extreme threat than what the European countries use as leverage.

[−] jameskilton 42d ago
Are you expecting "mentally sound behavior" or "strategic coherence" from today's administration?
[−] JumpCrisscross 42d ago
It’s probably illegal. I can’t imagine a pharmaceutical executive taking this seriously.
[−] 0xy 42d ago
The status quo is massive scamming by pharma companies to U.S. consumers exclusively, while the rest of the world gets a better deal on pharmaceuticals.

By saying the admin should not use all available leverage points and levers to force them to lower prices, you're arguing for continued pharma profiteering, aren't you?

By the way, the Biden admin did exactly this through a lever contained within the Inflation Reduction Act for Ozempic, among others. [1]

[1] https://www.npr.org/2023/08/29/1195984752/medicare-drug-pric...

[−] Molitor5901 42d ago
Interesting point from the article.

"The importance of the move may be largely symbolic at this point, as it does not apply to generic medicines - the most commonly used medicines in the US."

[−] surgical_fire 42d ago
What an odd way to phrase this. The actual body of the article is a tad more clear.

> Patented medicines will face a 100% tariff entering the US

This is paid those importing the medicines, and passed on to the consumers.

[−] chrisgd 42d ago
Strike a deal is a euphemism for bribe the president. Love where the US is now
[−] Simulacra 42d ago
I can't read the article because the BBC has a big paywall over it, does anyone have a link? Archive.xx gets stuck in a verification loop
[−] excalibur 42d ago
Mafia Don shaking everyone down for their lunch money as usual. We used to be better than this.