Trump’s huge tariffs on some drugmakers could end up backfiring

President Donald Trump’s order to levy 100% tariffs on certain patented pharmaceutical products and ingredients takes effect on Tuesday. But experts question the extent to which the move will achieve its goal of spurring more drug manufacturing in the US. That’s because the burden will fall most heavily on small and midsize companies that generally don’t have the wherewithal to shift or expand production in America. Instead, experts say, the tariffs could force these drugmakers to close or merge with larger rivals, which could in turn reduce the number of medications that they provide to patients and could lead to higher prices – which is the last thing Trump says he wants. What’s more, the tariffs could dampen the discovery of new medicines since these smaller firms tend to be more innovative, some experts argue.