Trade Policy

German medtech revenue growth has slowed, profit margins are being eroded, and exporters fear harsher US market access conditions on the return to office of President-Elect Donald Trump. The week became even more momentous with news of the collapse of the German government.

The US FDA Commissioner pushed for rebalancing the US’s pharmaceutical supply chains while also stressing that US-China commerce has a role that would be risky to compromise. 

During an online seminar hosted by the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, Commissioner Robert Califf discussed key issues facing the agency, including supply chains, device shortages, and the risk of another pandemic.

The US' approach to international trade and potential for new tariffs on China or other partners could be the most significant issue for the beauty industry ahead of the presidential election in November, experts suggested at the Independent Beauty Association’s Cosmetics Convergence Fall 2024 Symposium.

While the National Electrical Manufacturers Association supports the Biden Administration’s plan to impose tariffs on a range of Chinese goods coming into the US, it also supports holding off on their implantation.

With the sheen of inevitability now scuffed off the BIOSECURE Act, diplomatic efforts to reduce US dependence on Chinese APIs are increasing in prominence. And the power of the legislation itself could be determined by litigation about a video app.

The FDA commissioner said that supply chains will remain interconnected no matter how much nationalism dominates the political landscape, meaning international cooperation will still be necessary.

A new round of tariffs imposed by the Biden administration on various Chinese goods, including medical devices, points to a broader shift in US strategy for strengthening supply chains and ensuring Americans have reliable access to safe products, according to analysts who spoke to Medtech Insight about the tariffs. While fueled by the pandemic, the momentum pushing this change in trade policy has been growing for some time.

BIO CEO John Crowley sat down with Pink Sheet at the industry’s annual convention to discuss his vision for a newly restructured BIO, his thoughts on the upcoming US elections and whether he’d ever lead another biotech. 

Former and incumbent regulatory officials from China and the European Union highlighted the need for supportive regulatory policies for the innovative drug sector at the recent DIA China annual meeting.