As the debate on President Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs continues to rock global headlines, 72% of surveyed physicians on Sermo are concerned about the impact of pharmaceutical tariffs on access to affordable medications.
At the start of August, Trump announced ‘small’ ballpark 25% pharmaceutical tariffs that will rapidly increase over the next year and a half, reaching up to 250%. He repeatedly emphasizes wanting drugs “made in the country” to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing.
But, how will these tariffs impact drug access, affordability, and domestic production? A potential healthcare crisis is brewing at the intersection of trade policy and patient care. Continue reading to learn how physicians and medical teams can best prepare for the impact of tariffs.
When policy becomes a prescription barrier
Trump’s tariffs on foreign medications, supplies, and trade policies are changing healthcare in ways that impact physicians, patients, and entire healthcare organizations. Physicians and clinics may experience expenses rising by 15% or more, particularly for products heavily reliant on global supply chains, such as pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical devices.
Survey results from Sermo’s physician community paint a troubling picture of how Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs are affecting clinical practice. The poll reveals that 41% of physicians believe drug prices and medication access will be most affected by increased tariffs, while another 23% point to supply chain reliability, and 22% say medical device availability and cost are their primary concerns.
“Increased tariffs will increase the cost of healthcare; medications are too expensive in the U.S.,” warns a general practitioner on Sermo. This sentiment echoes across specialties, with an orthopedic surgeon noting, “Increased tariffs will raise costs whether in procuring drugs or conducting investigations.”
35% of physicians on Sermo report they are extremely concerned that patients already struggling with drug costs will face more barriers, with another 37% saying they are somewhat concerned and worried about worsening cost and access issues.
The clinical ripple effect extends far beyond simple price increases. Physicians report mounting challenges in maintaining treatment continuity amidst global political policies, as patients face difficult budgeting choices between essential medications and other expenses. Increased non-adherence leads to complications, requiring physicians to dedicate more time to managing preventable illnesses.
Who is paying the price?
While policymakers debate the merits of pharmaceutical tariffs, the real impact (and costs) plays out in clinics across America. “The system punishes patients first — then blames doctors when outcomes decline,” observes one physician and Sermo member.
Physicians and patients are already enduring the impact of tariffs. Sermo asked doctors, “Have you already seen the effects of tariffs on medical supplies, drugs, or equipment in your practice or institution?” Here’s how respondents voted:
- 16% Yes — prices have risen noticeably
- 21% Yes — we’ve experienced shortages or delays
- 34% Not yet — but we’re preparing for potential disruption
- 21% No — operations remain unaffected so far
- 9% Not sure — we don’t track sourcing closely
Sermo’s recent poll reveals that 32% of physicians believe patients will delay or forgo treatment due to affordability concerns when tariffs lead to higher healthcare costs. 24% of physicians highlight that low-income and chronically ill patients will suffer the most. 22% say out-of-pocket expenses will increase across the board, and 15% say insurance premiums will rise.
“Patients ration insulin injections or cut pills in half. That’s the real cost of protectionist policies,” reports a physician witnessing firsthand the impossible choices patients make. Only 6% of physicians think the pharmaceutical tariffs will have little to no impact.
Causes of the crisis in affordability
The pharmaceutical tariff debate highlights deeper systemic failures in healthcare affordability that extend beyond trade policy. Sermo’s poll findings reveal pharmaceutical tariffs not as an isolated policy decision, but as another pressure point in an already strained healthcare system.
The healthcare affordability crisis in the U.S. is primarily driven by high out-of-pocket costs and underinsurance, where even insured individuals face steep deductibles and copays that deter them from seeking necessary care. Market consolidation, such as hospitals acquiring small physician practices and charging higher prices for the same care, significantly drives up costs for patients.
Additionally, rising prices for medical treatments and pharmaceuticals, combined with inadequate regulation and a lack of pricing transparency, fuel the overall escalation in healthcare expenses. These factors collectively lead many Americans to delay or forgo care, which in turn worsens health outcomes and financial strain.
“Healthcare was already unaffordable. Tariffs will worsen bankruptcies and outcomes,” states an internal medicine physician. An occupational medicine resident captures the broader context: “Without adequate insurance, sudden health costs become obstacles to treatment.” This observation also highlights how tariffs, combined with existing insurance gaps, are creating a cost barrier for most Americans.
Understanding these complex cost dynamics requires examining the multiple factors that drive healthcare expenses beyond just pharmaceutical pricing policies.
Are tariffs ever justified?
Physicians are split down the middle on the justification of medical tariffs. When asked, “Do you believe tariffs could benefit the U.S. healthcare system in the long term by encouraging domestic production?” here’s how Sermo members respond:
- 20% Yes — boosting local manufacturing will improve resilience
- 29% Possibly — but only with significant policy support
- 19% Not sure — pros and cons seem evenly balanced
- 15% Probably not — short-term harm may outweigh gains
- 18% No — tariffs will increase costs without fixing supply chains
Some Sermo members argue that pharmaceutical tariffs could encourage long-term supply chain security. “We should not rely on other countries—we must manufacture our own medicines and equipment,” explains a general practitioner.
However, the counterargument is equally resounding. “Tariffs on essentials like meds seem counterproductive,” notes a hematology oncologist, explaining how tariffs may increase costs without fixing fundamental supply chain issues. A general surgeon offers a middle ground view: “Tariffs may increase costs, but could boost productivity by encouraging local production.”
This debate highlights the fine line between domestic resilience and unfounded protectionism. While some see Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs as a path to greater independence, many caution that the near-term sacrifice is carried by patients who cannot wait years for supply chains to stabilize.
The workarounds physicians rely on today
Faced with the immediate realities of pharmaceutical tariffs and rising drug costs, physicians have developed innovative strategies to maintain quality patient care.
Many clinicians and healthcare providers are negotiating with multiple suppliers and diversifying their supply chains to mitigate risks of drug shortages and price hikes caused by tariffs. They are also increasingly collaborating with group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to leverage better purchasing power and manage rising costs. Additionally, physicians are using strategic procurement practices and data-driven spend analytics to control expenses while maintaining quality care amidst supply disruptions and increased prices.
Patients are forced to make tough financial decisions, switching to older or off-patent medications has become standard practice when newer options become unaffordable due to tariff-related price increases. “Patients choose cheaper generics, sometimes less effective—lower-cost standard drugs could help,” explains a pediatrics resident, highlighting the clinical compromises physicians make to maintain affordability.
Sample medications, compassionate use programs, and bulk ordering strategies have grown from infrequent tools to essential components of practice management. Physicians increasingly coordinate with local pharmacies to identify the best prices, often spending significant time on tasks that were once handled seamlessly by the healthcare system.
Medical charities and patient assistance programs have become solutions for physicians trying to bridge the gap between treatment costs and patient affordability.
These workarounds demonstrate the resilience of physicians, but also expose the inefficiency of a healthcare system that forces clinicians to circumnavigate the rules just to protect patients from the fallout of pharmaceutical tariffs. Physicians report spending increasing amounts of time advocating directly with insurers and national formularies on behalf of their patients. This advocacy work, while necessary, diverts time and energy from direct patient care.
“Rising prices affect chronic patients who can’t continue treatment,” warns a family medicine physician, emphasizing the particular challenges facing patients with ongoing medication needs.
The solutions that physicians want
The Sermo physician community has identified several key themes in addressing the pharmaceutical tariff challenge. Comments on Sermo emphasize the need for stronger price regulation and transparency across global supply chains.
Tariff exemptions for essential drugs can be a middle ground that could help trade policy goals while protecting the interests of patients. There is hope for this approach, as the recent US-EU trade deal agreed upon a 15% tariff rate on pharmaceuticals, with some exceptions for generic prescriptions. “Governments need to rethink tariffs on life-saving drugs — this isn’t just economics, it’s ethics,” argues one physician.
Investing in regional supply chains, rather than implementing blanket national policies, offers another more nuanced path forward. “We need supply chain security without punishing the sick,” observes a Sermo member.
The poll data support these reform priorities, with physicians consistently emphasizing patient welfare over abstract economic theories. Their solutions focus on practical measures that could maintain healthcare access while addressing legitimate policy concerns about supply chain resiliency and domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Voices from the front lines
“These policies affect real people, not just numbers,” emphasizes a reconstructive surgeon. The real-life experiences of physicians on Sermo humanize the issue beyond numbers and graphs.
“As a healthcare worker, I can already see the strain starting,” reports a hematology oncologist, capturing the early warning signs of policy impact on patient care. Many are concerned over how these could disproportionately affect already vulnerable populations. “This could hit rural clinics especially hard,” a reconstructive surgeon explains.
Residents and early-career physicians bring fresh perspectives while acknowledging the complexity of the issues at hand. “Short-term pain for long-term gain?” questions an orthopedic surgery resident. The economic uncertainty created by tariffs has led many to guess, “only time will tell the long-term impacts,” a general practice resident shares on Sermo.
While physicians focus on immediate reforms like tariff exemptions and price transparency, some also question whether more fundamental changes to the healthcare system could better address the root causes of medication access challenges that tariffs exacerbate.
Key takeaways
With 72% of physicians expressing concern about tariff impacts on medication access, the medical profession has delivered a decisive verdict on current policy approaches. From Sermo community polls and discussions, one conclusion is unavoidable: most physicians believe that a pharmaceutical tariff hurts patients far more than it helps healthcare systems.
Many emphasize that the ethical responsibility to protect vulnerable populations should outweigh the economic argument for tariffs. Access, adherence, and affordability were already under significant pressure before pharmaceutical tariffs. And tariffs will only intensify those challenges.
The medical community is calling for meaningful reform based on less politics and more protection for patients. Physicians want to see a trade policy that acknowledges healthcare as a special case requiring careful consideration of patient welfare alongside economic and security concerns.
To brace for Trump’s tariffs, physicians must keep up-to-date, sharing their experiences in a secure community like Sermo where their insights can help other physicians make tough decisions. By explaining how drug costs impact patients, engaging in local and national discussions on pricing policy, and collaborating with peers, physicians can become advocates for affordable care.
“Only time will tell the long-term impacts,” notes a general practice resident, acknowledging the uncertainty healthcare professionals are living through, and emphasizing the need for ongoing vigilance and advocacy.
Join the discussion on Sermo
How have pharmaceutical tariffs affected your patients?
Are affordability issues on the rise in your region?
Who should take the lead in protecting access to medicines?
Join Sermo to share your perspective, connect with verified peers, and help shape a more equitable healthcare system in the face of global trade disruptions.
