Pakistan, July 11 -- Pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop backup plans after U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose up to 200% tariffs on imported drugs. The proposed levy, announced this week, could take effect within 12 to 18 months, leaving little time for industry-wide adjustments.

Even with the delay, analysts are warning of serious consequences. A report by Barclays stated that the massive tariff would inflate production costs, shrink profit margins, and potentially trigger drug shortages across the United States. UBS echoed those concerns, noting that relocating manufacturing to the U.S. in such a short time is not feasible.

Trump's administration launched a Section 232 investigation into the pharmaceu...