Trump turns tariff fire on generics with 2028 countdown
US president Donald Trump has set a countdown for tariffs on imported generic medicines, ending an exemption that had shielded the copycat drugs supplying the bulk of US prescriptions. Announcing the plan on his Truth Social platform, he framed the levies as a penalty for companies that decline to shift production onto American soil.
Under the proposal, imported generics stay tariff-free for a two-year transition beginning August 1, 2026. The rate then jumps to 100% in August 2028 for a single year, before doubling to 200% thereafter. The White House says the window gives manufacturers time to build domestic plants and equipment.
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