Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Liberation Day' Arrives; Some In GOP Try To Stop Tariffs On Canadian Drugs
President Donald Trump鈥檚 trade tariffs on Canadian pharmaceuticals are expected to increase costs in the United States and strain drug supply chains, according to an analysis published yesterday in JAMA. [On April 2], pharmaceuticals will no longer be exempt from the Trump administration's 25% tariff on goods produced in Canada. (Soucheray, 4/1)
In what would be a rebuke to President Donald Trump, a Senate resolution to end the emergency declaration enabling tariffs against Canada is likely to have enough Republican votes to pass the chamber, according to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky.聽Paul is co-sponsoring the resolution with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, who wants to force GOP lawmakers to go on the record on the policy. Trump implemented the emergency declaration in February to put tariffs on Canada for not going far enough to stop fentanyl from crossing into the United States. (Bacon, Beggin, Chambers, Jansen and Ortiz, 4/1)
On Wednesday at 4 p.m., Mr. Trump is expected to announce what he calls sweeping 鈥渞eciprocal tariffs,鈥 which could match the levies that other countries impose on U.S. products. The president has taken to calling this 鈥渓iberation day,鈥 arguing that it will end years of other countries 鈥渞ipping us off.鈥 (Swanson, Kaye, Gamio, Russell and Kim, 4/1)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Donald Trump Friday that his nation will retaliate against the United States with tariffs of its own if Trump presses forward with his promised levies 鈥 potentially escalating what is already developing into an ugly and damaging trade war. Trump responded that he鈥檚 open to deals 鈥 but potentially after his tariffs go into effect. The leaders of the bordering nations spoke Friday before the White House鈥檚 expected tariffs go into place April 2 鈥 a day Trump has been calling America鈥檚 鈥淟iberation Day.鈥 (Saltman, Klein and Goldman, 3/29)
During an interview on the Somebody鈥檚 Gotta Win With Tara Palmeri podcast, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban warned that the drug company he cofounded, Cost Plus Drugs, would be forced to raise its prices in response to a tariff on goods imported from India. 鈥淲e won鈥檛 have a choice,鈥 Cuban said. (Freedman, 4/1)