Wes Streeting has been warned that he must protect the supply of medicines in the UK after Donald Trump issued tariff threats to 17 pharmaceutical firms. Britain’s GSK and AstraZeneca were among the companies that the US President wrote to as part of a crackdown on major pharmaceutical companies failing to sell cheaper drugs to the US.
It raises the threat of higher costs for the NHS, which is one of the biggest buyers of pharmaceuticals in the world.
Stuart Andrew MP, Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary said: “International trade in medicines and pharmaceuticals is vitally important and benefits us as an exporting nation and as consumers of these vital products.
“Labour must take this seriously and ensure trade barriers do not impede the supply of medicines to and from this country.
“So far, Keir Starmer’s deals with the US have been underwhelming and we are in a worse position than this time last year.”
Mr Trump demanded the pharmaceutical firms treat the US as the “most favoured nation” and lower prices of drugs for the US Medicaid scheme.
He also threatened to use “every tool in our arsenal” to crack down on pharmaceutical giants if they fail to cut drug prices for Americans within 60 days.
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokeswoman said: “We must stand up to Trump’s bullying tactics – now he’s threatening our health.
“Wes Streeting should urgently convene a taskforce and put an emergency plan in place to protect the NHS and millions of patients from drug shortages and sky-high prices that could result from this. So far, we have instead rolled over and promised to review drug pricing to keep Trump happy, putting him ahead of patients.
“People need to know that the medicines they rely on just to get through their daily lives will be there when they need them, no matter what Trump threatens next. The Government should be making plans for stockpiling as a matter of urgency.
“This is yet another painful reminder that the Prime Minister needs to stop this trade war by speaking the only language that the President understands, strength, by showing Trump we have alternatives through an economic coalition of the willing.”
The directive from the US stems from an executive order Mr Trump signed in May, when he demanded drugmakers start offering US patients those lower prices or face consequences.
Prices for some brand name drugs in the US are more than three times those in other developed nations, according to the administration.
A Government spokesman said: “The UK-US relationship is as strong as ever. We will continue to work closely with the US and the UK’s pharmaceutical industry to understand the possible impact of any changes to drug pricing.”