Threat of future tariffs on pharmaceutical imports alarms health care community - CBS News

Apr 08, 2025

April 4, 2025 / 8:54 PM EDT / CBS News

Las Vegas — Marsha Cook of Las Vegas juggles multiple generic prescriptions on a tight budget. Any hint of a possible price hike hits hard.

"I have high blood pressure, and when you even speak of it, I can feel like a stressor coming up in my neck," the 70-year-old Cook told CBS News. "I don't know what will be done. I don't know what I'll do."

Cook worries that tariffs on pharmaceuticals would send her costs soaring even higher.

Generic medicines make up nine of 10 prescriptions in the U.S., nearly half of which come from India, which exports about $9 billion in generic drugs to the U.S., according to data last year from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science.

Nearly all of the United States' generic drugs come from overseas. In a last-minute move Wednesday, the Trump administration excluded pharmaceuticals from Wednesday's retaliatory tariffs, giving consumers a break for now.

"There are some people who can't even afford their little co-pay," said Bobby Benson, owner and pharmacist at Belmont Pharmacy in Las Vegas.

Benson has even set up an IOU system for his customers and says some already ration their medications.

He says he is "very worried" that some of his patients may get sick if tariffs on generic medications do take effect at some point.

"If you're on a blood pressure medication, and you are cutting in half or you are skipping a dose, there's a high chance of you getting a stroke," Benson said.

According to projections from ING Bank, a reciprocal tariff could push more common heart medications from 82 cents to 94 cents per pill, an extra $42 a year. Some complex treatments, like generic cancer drugs, might see a jump of $8,000 to $10,000 for a six-month prescription.

The Reno-based nonprofit group Care Chest helps with medical supplies and prescription costs. Its program director, Anabella Rivera, says the need has doubled every year since 2023 due to rising inflation.

"As cost of living goes up, as the cost of products go up, there are more and more people that are working and have insurance that are coming to us," Rivera disclosed.

Anthelene Trotter counts on the group. She's on multiple drugs for kidney disease and high blood pressure. The idea of paying more at the pharmacy keeps her up at night.

"Well, I'll have to make sacrifices, and I wouldn't be able to get the proper medicine that I get if it goes up, because I'm on a budget," Trotter said.

Cook isn't sure of President Trump's promise that what he believes will be short-term pain from the tariffs will lead to long-term gain.

"I'm hoping that he knows what he's doing, but until then, I want to know from him; What are we gonna do?" Cook asked.

Andres Gutierrez is a CBS News reporter based in Las Vegas. Most recently a reporter with CBS News Detroit, Andres brings more than a decade of award-winning breaking news reporting and fill-in anchor experience across several markets including Kansas City, Missouri and Dallas, Texas. While covering Detroit, he reported on major national stories, including the mass shooting at Michigan State University, and the historic six-week strike by the United Auto Workers. Gutierrez also played a major role in CBS News and Stations' in-depth coverage across platforms of the trials of James and Jennifer Crumbley - the first parents in the U.S. to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting committed by their child. Gutierrez graduated from New York University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

© 2025 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.