Trump plans 100% tariffs on imported generic drugs. Here's what experts say. - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reported that President Trump announced a plan Tuesday to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imported generic drugs starting in August 2028, with the rate rising to 200% a year later. Trump said on Truth Social that the policy is intended to bring generic pharmaceutical production back to the United States. A White House spokesperson, Kush Desai, told CBS News the timeline gives manufacturers two years to shift production and pointed to other administration incentives aimed at domestic manufacturing.

Health policy experts interviewed by CBS News questioned whether tariffs alone would be enough to move production. Marta Wosińska of the Brookings Institution said tariffs could fit into a wider strategy but would not necessarily cause companies to onshore. Mariana Socal of Johns Hopkins said generic manufacturers operate on thin margins, so added costs could eventually reach consumers, though contracts and competition may slow or limit price increases.

The stakes are significant because generic drugs represent about 90% of U.S. prescriptions, according to FDA figures cited by CBS News, and many are made overseas. CBS cited a Senate Committee on Aging report saying India supplies more than half of generic prescriptions filled in the U.S., while other reporting referenced U.S. reliance on China for ingredients or imports including ibuprofen, acetaminophen and penicillin.

Experts also warned of possible supply effects if tariffs make the U.S. market less attractive before domestic capacity exists. CBS News reported that major generic makers Teva and Sandoz did not announce new U.S. expansion plans in response; Sandoz said policymakers and industry would need a sustainable framework to support long-term investment.