(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) President and CEO Scott Melville released the below statement following President Trump imposing a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, which were originally set to take effect Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 12:01 a.m. EST. As of this morning, the Trump Administration has agreed to pause sweeping tariffs on Mexico for one month while the two sides work on an agreement.
“The start of a new administration brings new opportunities to advance public health, ensure access to safe, effective, and affordable healthcare solutions, and foster innovation. The consumer healthcare industry – through over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, dietary supplements, and OTC medical devices – delivers on all these fronts. Self-care products empower individuals to take greater control of their health and lead to major cost savings for the U.S. health system overall. For example, every $1 spent on OTC medicines generates $7.33 in savings on other clinical and prescription drug costs – a total of $167 billion in savings annually.
“Many essential ingredients for consumer healthcare products are sourced from countries that specialize in efficiently producing these high-quality ingredients. Tariffs on these health products will not only raise costs on American consumers, but limit access to affordable self-care, and disrupt global supply chains. Higher costs will disproportionately affect low-income households, further exacerbating health inequities and increasing the risk of common everyday ailments becoming more serious health issues that require costly interventions. Additionally, higher costs could drive consumers to avoid self-care at all or even to seek unsafe counterfeits.
"We urge the Administration to reconsider the recently announced tariffs impacting our industry given the critical importance of consumer healthcare products to American families. CHPA remains committed to working with the Administration and lawmakers on approaches that will safeguard people’s health and well-being, protect jobs here at home, and preserve access to the products millions of American consumers, families, and communities rely on each day to support their healthcare needs."
