Trump's tariffs could send prescription drug prices out of reach

Studies confirm it: One in three Americans can't afford to take recommended doses of prescription drugs because of skyrocketing prices.

- By JENNIFER PORTER GORE

((Pexels/Kampus Production photo))

Even the price tag for low-cost generic drugs has risen so much that some consumers are cutting their doses in half or skipping them entirely to stretch out a month's supply.

When President Donald Trump took office, he vowed to bring down prescription drug prices, but experts say his plan - threatening tariffs as high as 100% on drugs imported from China and India, the world's leading pharmaceutical manufacturers will make matters worse, hiking prices even higher and potentially triggering shortages at pharmacies.

That's bad news for Black people, who have disproportionately high rates of chronic diseases, like heart disease and high blood pressure, that require daily medication. Given that Black consumers already struggle more than white people to pay for prescription medication, any price hike could put some medications out of reach.

In addition, because Black communities often are "pharmacy deserts" (neighborhoods where drug stores are few and far between), critical, potentially lifesaving prescriptions could be not only more expensive but harder to find in some areas.

"[When] looking at major issues with hypertension, mental health, diabetes, and how these products are brought into the market, it's staggering," said Kathleen Jaeger, a spokesperson for the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, a coalition of generic drug manufacturers. "If there is no generic on the market, that actually pushes patients to buy the brand products, which are going to cost five to 10 times more."