Name: Trump slaps 100 per cent tariff on Australian drugs
Uploaded: 2026-04-03T06:12:38.356Z
Duration: 2 min 2 s
Description: US President Donald Trump has made good on his threat to slap tariffs on foreign-made pharmaceuticals. Australia has condemned the move as “not the act of a friend” but is reassuring consumers that medicine prices will not rise here.

US President Donald Trump has made good on his threat to slap tariffs on foreign-made pharmaceuticals. Australia has condemned the move as “not the act of a friend” but is reassuring consumers that medicine prices will not rise here.

Canberra

The United States has introduced a 100% tariff on foreign-made pharmaceuticals, directly affecting Australian exports to the US, which are valued at approximately $2 billion per year. Unlike countries such as Japan, South Korea, the EU, and the UK, which negotiated lower tariffs, Australia was not granted an exemption, raising concerns about potential impacts on medicine prices and access.

Australian officials have expressed worry over the decision and called for the US administration to reconsider, while also facing criticism for their handling of the issue. The tariffs are part of a broader US effort to boost domestic manufacturing, though major Australian biotech firm CSL is largely exempt due to its focus on plasma-derived therapies. The Australian government has also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining its pharmaceutical benefits scheme despite US criticism.

Trump slaps 100 per cent tariff on Australian drugs

A year since Liberation Day. The day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed. A bitter pill to swallow. It's not the act of a friend. As Washington slugs a 100% tariff on foreign-made pharmaceuticals. They're one of Australia's largest exports to the United States, worth around $2 billion a year, but... We import more than double the number of products that we export to the US. Raising concerns he could push up the cost of medicines We're very, very concerned. Concerned about Australians getting access to affordable medicine. It really shouldn't do too much to Australian consumers. This will have no impact on medicine prices at Australian pharmacy counters. Countries like Japan, South Korea, the EU and the UK have negotiated exemptions and will face tariffs of just 10 to 15%, but not Australia. We want the US administration to think again and to reverse this decision. What has the government been doing? They seem to have been completely asleep at the wheel. All part of President Trump's desire to revive domestic manufacturing. He wants to get it back and he sees tariffs as a way to do that. We have spent the past year hammering out deals with a lot of these companies to make sure they're building in America. Something Australia's largest biotech company, CSL, has been doing, investing billions in manufacturing in the US. The new tariffs also include an exemption for some products made from blood plasma, which is the vast majority of CSL's trade. We are pleased that the US administration has recognised the unique nature of plasma-derived therapies, it said today. The White House has again this week criticised the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, arguing that it undervalues American innovation through unfair pricing practices. Our government is standing firm, refusing to bow to President Trump's demands. We will not be compromising on the PBS in any format for anyone, the President of the United States or anyone. The PBS is not up for negotiation. Hansel Dew, 10 News.

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