US grants zero tariff on selected Bangladeshi specialty drugs

The United States has granted zero Section 232 tariff treatment to certain specialty pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients imported from Bangladesh.
The exemption covers medicines for rare diseases, fertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and animal pharmaceuticals, as well as associated pharmaceutical ingredients and components.
According to a notice published by the US Department of Commerce in the Federal Register, eligible products from Bangladesh and 19 other jurisdictions will receive a zero percent tariff rate. The jurisdictions include India, Argentina, Cambodia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, North Macedonia, South Korea, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Taiwan, Thailand, Britain and Vietnam.
The Commerce Department said qualifying products from the listed jurisdictions could receive zero-tariff treatment because they have a current or forthcoming trade and security framework agreement with the US, or because the products meet an urgent US health need.
The measure comes as the US imposes a 100% Section 232 tariff on certain patented pharmaceuticals and associated ingredients from most companies, effective Tuesday. Lower rates and exemptions apply in some cases.
On 2 April, US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation imposing tariffs on imports of patented pharmaceuticals, biologics and associated ingredients under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, as part of efforts to encourage domestic production.
Generic pharmaceutical products and their associated ingredients are currently excluded from the Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs.