Trump Takes a Bite Out of Rx Drug Foreign Freeloading

Britain now plans to spend more on new medicines so it can keep tariff-free access to the U.S. market. That simple tradeoff marks real progress. President Trump is pushing a clear message: the era of foreign freeloading on American drug innovation is ending.

For years, U.S. patients and taxpayers have shouldered the cost of developing new cures while other countries imposed strict price controls and paid far less. The Wall Street Journal reports that the UK agreed to higher spending on new medicines to avoid tariffs on its pharmaceutical exports to the United States. The deal reduces the reach of foreign price controls and helps ensure that American research stays funded and competitive.

This is exactly the right direction. When trading partners pay closer to market prices, the system works better for everyone. It encourages investment in new cures. It strengthens America’s leadership in medical innovation. And it gives us a powerful model for future negotiations.

More countries should follow the UK’s lead. President Trump’s approach delivers two major wins: it reduces foreign pressure on U.S. drug prices and opens more free trade with partners willing to treat our innovators fairly. That is a win-win for American patients and for the long-term pipeline of treatments we all count on.