The Trump administration has backed down from imposing tariffs of up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports from the European Union following pressure from U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., according to a Thursday press release from the senator.
The administration also agreed to provide special treatment for generic medicines from the European Union, according to Luján, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee.
“Thanks to efforts to raise the alarm on how steep tariffs would hike prescription drug prices, disrupt access to care, and strain the generics supply chain, the Trump administration backed down,” Luján said in a statement.
The senator said he had pushed specifically for the generic drug exemption in correspondence with President Donald Trump.
Luján cited concerns about Americans leaving prescriptions unfilled due to high costs, warning that steep tariffs would have worsened the problem.
“Americans across the country are leaving prescriptions unfilled at the pharmacy every month due to high costs, and steep tariffs would have only added fuel to the fire,” he said.
In April, Luján led a letter to Trump warning of severe consequences the proposed tariffs would have on prescription drug costs for Americans and on domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The senator said he would continue pressing the administration to pursue similar agreements with other trading partners to prevent rising prescription drug costs.
“This retreat from extreme tariffs on pharmaceuticals from the European Union is a positive step, and I will continue pressing the administration to pursue similar agreements with other key trading partners to help prevent rising prescription drug costs,” Luján said.