UK Secures Three-Year Zero-Tariff Deal on Drug Exports to the US
The UK has reached a new agreement with the United States that removes tariffs on British-made pharmaceuticals for the next three years. As part of the arrangement, the UK will boost NHS spending on medicines while placing a 15% ceiling on how much drug companies can be asked to repay, measures meant to keep the health budget under control.
This deal arrives after Donald Trump previously threatened tariffs as high as 100% on UK medicines. With the US buying around £11.1 billion worth of British pharmaceuticals every year, including products from giants like GSK and AstraZeneca, the pact helps secure a major export channel.
Officials say the zero-tariff agreement will support jobs at home, draw more investment into the UK life-sciences sector, and bring stability to a trade relationship that both countries rely on.
US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr also praised the outcome, noting that it strengthens access to innovative treatments across global markets.
