WASHINGTON DC (May 14, 2018) – Imposition of tariffs on generic drugs, biosimilars or their ingredients would have a perverse effect on health care spending in the U.S. Generic medicines generated $253 billion in savings for patients and taxpayers in 2016, and in the last decade the U.S. health care system has saved $1.67 trillion due to the availability of low-cost generics. Savings for the two largest government health care programs, Medicare and Medicaid, totaled $77 billion and $37.9 billion, respectively, in 2016. Tariffs on generic or biosimilar medicines would increase prescription drug prices and increase the risk of drug shortages for affected medical products.
ATTRIBUTE TO: Jeff Francer, Senior Vice President & General Counsel
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