Raised tariffs on China-made medical supplies won’t help US: Report

The U.S. recently increased tariff rates on some medical supplies made in China to bolster domestic production, but the plan likely won’t be fruitful, industry executives told Reuters.

Advertisement

In May, the U.S. raised tariffs on China-made syringes, needles, medical and surgical gloves, and certain personal protective equipment in response to “underpriced” and “poor quality” products, the White House said. 

The effort is designed to benefit American manufacturers, but China-based firms have a loophole, according to the May 28 Reuters report. To avoid the higher tariffs, companies can ship products to other countries, such as Malaysia, to serve as the middleman between China and the U.S.

“I always said, ‘No matter what we do with tariffs, the Chinese will find a way around it,'” Dan Izhaky, president of the American Medical Manufacturers Association, told the news outlet. “It’s not the silver bullet we need.”

Read more here

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Advertisement

Next Up in Supply Chain

  • Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth Vice President of Supply Chain Richard Bagley has retired after more than four years with the health…

  • The FDA has flagged eight medical device recalls, corrections and early alerts affecting convenience kits, vascular access devices, IV administration…

Advertisement

Comments are closed.