Health
Trump’s Next Tariffs Target Could be Foreign-Made Pharmaceuticals
Newer and more expensive medications are more likely to be made in the United States or Europe. Ireland, in particular, has become a hub because it is a tax haven.
Many of the industry’s biggest blockbusters are manufactured at least partly in Ireland. Among them are: Keytruda, Merck’s cancer drug; Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drug; and Stelara, Johnson & Johnson’s anti-inflammatory drug used for conditions like arthritis.
Mr. Trump has taken notice. “This beautiful island of five million people has got the entire U.S. pharmaceutical industry in its grasp,” he said in March at a meeting with Prime Minister Micheal Martin of Ireland.
Why did U.S. drug manufacturing move overseas?
U.S. production of pharmaceuticals peaked, by one measure, in 2006.
That was around the time a wave of top-selling American-made drugs lost patent protection, creating opportunities for generic manufacturers in India and China to ramp up production of generics. Around the same time, U.S. government incentives to manufacture in Puerto Rico were phased out, while new carrots, like tax advantages in Ireland, encouraged manufacturers to move production overseas.
In 2021, most of America’s top-consumed generic drugs, as well as key antibiotics and antivirals, had no American facility producing their active ingredients, according to Clarivate.
Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that “the United States can no longer produce enough antibiotics to treat our sick.”
For example, nearly all the world’s sites producing the active ingredient of amoxicillin, a common antibiotic, are in China, India or Europe, according to Clarivate.
A Tennessee plant, now owned by a company called USAntibiotics, used to supply nearly all of the amoxicillin consumed in the United States. It now imports the active ingredient from Europe and uses it to formulate pills. The plant now supplies about 5 percent of America’s amoxicillin.
Have drugs been subject to tariffs before?
Medications are usually protected from tariffs under a World Trade Organization agreement aimed at protecting patients’ access to vital drugs. The tariffs that Mr. Trump imposed on certain imports in his first term did not hit pharmaceuticals.
Starting in February, drugmakers importing active ingredients made in China into the United States have had to pay a tariff that Mr. Trump imposed on Chinese goods. That tariff rose to 20 percent in March. (Wednesday’s levies add a new 34 percent tariff on most Chinese imports, though that does not apply to medicines.)
Will tariffs lead to drug shortages?
For the manufacturers of inexpensive generic drugs with razor-thin profit margins, the added costs of tariffs could be “a tipping point” that prompts them to exit the market, said Erin Fox, an expert at the University of Utah who tracks drug shortages.
Dr. Fox said she was most worried about drugs for which shortages are already common, such as generic medications given as an injection. These injections are harder to make than pills and are much less profitable than newer medications, discouraging manufacturers from jumping in. An example is lidocaine, used to numb pain during medical procedures. Most production of lidocaine’s active ingredient is in India, according to Clarivate.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Growing observational research suggests that long-term dietary patterns may influence Parkinson’s risk, age at onset and possibly severity of symptoms.
Mediterranean-style eating, in particular, has been associated with lower risk and possibly milder disease.
That said, there isn’t a single food that causes or prevents disease, according to Dr. Michael S. Valdez, a California-based physician with advanced training in neurology.
Growing observational research suggests that long-term dietary patterns may influence Parkinson’s risk, age at onset and possibly severity of symptoms. (iStock)
“When we talk about Parkinson’s and similar conditions, it helps to zoom out,” he told Fox News Digital. “In many cases, it’s the overall pattern over years that matters.”
The brain is especially sensitive to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular health, which is how well blood flows to brain tissue, according to the doctor.
BRAIN AND MEMORY ARE BOOSTED BY EATING ONE PARTICULAR DIET, STUDY FINDS
“Another key point is that neurodegenerative diseases develop slowly,” Valdez pointed out. “Changes in movement or cognition often appear years after underlying changes in the brain have already started.”
“That means lifestyle factors, including diet, are part of a much larger timeline that also includes genetics, environmental exposures, sleep and physical activity.”
Foods that could delay disease
No. 1: Mediterranean and MIND diets
Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, a seasoned neurologist and the chief mission officer at the American Parkinson Disease Association in New York, confirmed that the best foods for brain health are those that make up the MIND or Mediterranean diets.
“These diets emphasize whole grains, vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables), nuts, legumes and berries,” Gilbert told Fox News Digital. “Fish is the preferred animal protein, and olive oil is the preferred fat.”
Mediterranean-style eating, in particular, has been associated with lower risk and possibly milder disease. (iStock)
Studies have suggested that among those diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, adherence to the MIND or Mediterranean diets prior to diagnosis was associated with later onset of the disease, according to the doctor.
PARKINSON’S CASES COULD DOUBLE GLOBALLY BY 2050, STUDY REVEALS
“These diets are good for the brain because they are rich in antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory nutrients that keep neurons healthy,” she said. “The diets also support clean blood vessels to the brain, which provide adequate blood flow containing the nutrients and oxygen that neurons need.”
No. 2: Flavonoid-rich foods
“Blueberries, strawberries, apples, tea and red wine in moderation have been associated with lower PD risk in large cohorts,” Amanda Hare, an expert nurse practitioner in the field of neurology and movement disorders, who is also a medical liaison at Rune Labs, told Fox News Digital.
The South Carolina-based expert cited a Harvard study that found men with the highest flavonoid intake had about 40% lower disease risk.
“A responsible expert would place diet in that broader context rather than overselling any single food.”
“Anthocyanins — the pigments in red/purple berries — are the subclass with the most consistent signal,” she said. “These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and may cross the blood-brain barrier.”
No. 3: Coffee and caffeinated tea
Large studies have shown that regular coffee consumption is associated with lower Parkinson’s risk, according to Hare, although a direct cause can’t be proven.
Caffeine has been found to protect brain cells in animal studies by blocking a specific brain receptor called the adenosine A2A receptor, she said.
“The effect is stronger in men; hormone therapy appears to modify it in women,” Hare added.
Scientists have found early signs of the disease — clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein — in the nerves of the digestive system. (iStock)
No. 4: Fatty fish and omega-3 sources
“Evidence is more suggestive than definitive, but diets higher in omega-3s – salmon, sardines, mackerel, walnuts and flaxseed – correlate with lower risk and may support general neuronal health,” Hare said.
YOUR DAILY COFFEE HABIT MAY PLAY A ROLE IN DEMENTIA RISK, STUDY FINDS
No. 5: Fiber and fermented foods
In some cases, Parkinson’s pathology may begin in the gut, and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as constipation, can precede diagnosis, experts agree.
Scientists have found early signs of the disease — clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein — in the nerves of the digestive system.
Large studies have shown that regular coffee consumption is associated with lower Parkinson’s risk, according to Hare, although a direct cause can’t be proven. (iStock)
“Constipation is one of the strongest prodromal symptoms, often predating diagnosis by a decade or more,” Hare told Fox News Digital.
“Diets supporting a diverse gut microbiome – high fiber, fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi – are an active research area, though we don’t yet have randomized trial evidence that changing your microbiome changes Parkinson’s risk.”
Foods associated with higher risk
No. 1: Dairy (particularly milk)
“This is a consistent but still-debated finding,” Hare said. “Multiple large cohorts have found that higher milk consumption is associated with modestly elevated PD risk, particularly in men.”
The signal is specific to milk, she noted, as cheese and yogurt don’t show the same consistent association.
Recent research, including the Nurses’ Health Study in 2025, has linked high ultraprocessed food intake to higher odds of early Parkinson’s symptoms. (iStock)
No. 2: Ultraprocessed foods
Recent research, including the Nurses’ Health Study in 2025, has linked high ultraprocessed food intake to higher odds of early Parkinson’s symptoms. This supports broader evidence of processed foods’ association with systemic inflammation, Hare noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
No. 3: Pesticide exposure via diet
Exposure to paraquat and rotenone, which are toxic chemicals often used as pesticides, are among the strongest environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s, according to Hare.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“Eating organic produce when possible … is a reasonable precaution, though the bulk of pesticide risk in the Parkinson’s literature relates to occupational exposure, not dietary,” she noted.
No. 4: Excess saturated fat and red/processed meat
“Associations exist, but are less robust than the dairy or ultraprocessed findings,” Hare said.
There are some limitations and caveats for all of these dietary risk associations, she noted.
“Associations exist, but are less robust than the dairy or ultraprocessed findings,” the expert said about red meat consumption. (iStock)
“Epidemiology does not equal causation,” she emphasized. “Nearly all of the above comes from observational studies.”
Lifestyle behaviors can also come into play – people who eat Mediterranean diets, for example, also exercise more, smoke less and have more resources.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“Diet is one lever among several,” Hare noted. “Exercise has stronger evidence than any food for both preventing Parkinson’s and slowing progression. Sleep quality, cognitive engagement and avoidance of head injury also matter.”
“A responsible expert would place a diet in that broader context rather than overselling any single food.”
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Alabama5 minutes agoAlabama Claims Series Finale
-
Alaska11 minutes agoRelatives, friends and supporters walk to bring attention to Alaska Indigenous victims
-
Arizona17 minutes agoArizona drivers saw this change in gas prices over the last week
-
Arkansas23 minutes agoArkansas women’s basketball lands veteran transfer guard Kateri Poole | Whole Hog Sports
-
California29 minutes agoCalifornia dad claims Dutch horse trader knowingly sold lame $475K equine
-
Colorado35 minutes agoColorado community concerned about wildfire risk, over 1,000 residents practice evacuation drills
-
Connecticut41 minutes agoLooney announces he will not seek reelection; names his chosen successors
-
Delaware47 minutes agoDelaware women’s lacrosse run ends with ASUN title game loss