AHA urges administration to exclude drugs, devices from tariffs

In a letter to President Donald Trump, the American Hospital Association requested drugs and devices made in Mexico, Canada and China be exempt from current and proposed tariffs. The AHA says tariffs may jeopardize the availability of essential medications and medical devices, harming patient care. The AHA specifically expressed concerns with the disruption in the supply of cardiac drugs, oncology drugs and others made in China, as well as the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients ─ 30% of which come from China. The AHA also noted the potential impact of tariffs on medical devices designed to protect patients from infection, such as single-use blood pressure cuffs, stethoscope covers and sterile drapes, as well as supplies health care workers need to care for patients. (AHA News article, 2/5/25)