Bio/Pharma's Response to Tariff and Trade Policy: Survey Results

Trump-era tariffs have been all over the news of late, which led us to speak with international trade expert Jason Waite, of Alston & Bird, in late July. Jason had so much to say, we cut the interview into three parts. Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 for some great insights. We also spoke with Dave Miller, PhD, at AustionPx about the impact of these tariffs on reshoring and the associated unepexcted benefits. We also asked experts who we interviewed as part of the BIO 2025 conference in Boston about lasting impacts of recent changes in US government policy. But we wanted to hear from you, our readers, too!

Spanning the first two weeks of August 2025, Pharmaceutical Technology® and Biopharm International® conducted a survey on the impacts of Trump-era tariffs and trade policies on the organizations at which you and your peers in the bio/pharmaceutical industry work. Responses reveal that most perceive tariffs as a major influence on their operations and supply chains, with nearly half reporting significant effects and another large segment anticipating moderate impacts. In navigating these challenges, companies are actively adapting their strategies, primarily by increasing investment in trade compliance and diversifying supply bases, to mitigate risks rather than relying on a single approach, such as reshoring.