Physicians urge Trump administration to exempt radiopharmaceuticals from tariffs
Physician advocacy groups are urging the Trump administration to exempt radiopharmaceuticals from tariffs until the U.S. can establish its own supply of these vital imaging products.
Leaders with two cardiology groups recently voiced their concerns in comments submitted to the federal government. They note that the development of a domestic supply of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99)—critical in SPECT exams, bone scans and myocardial perfusion imaging—has been a “priority for many years.”
However, despite efforts to change this, the U.S. currently does not have its own source for the radioactive isotope, emphasized the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and American College of Cardiology.
“We ask the administration to defer tariffs for radiopharmaceuticals, medical isotopes, and specialized equipment needed to produce radiopharmaceuticals until a sufficient domestic supply can be established,” Panithaya Chareontaitawee, MD, and Christopher Kramer, MD, presidents of the ASNC and ACC, respectively, wrote in comments submitted to the Department of Commerce on May 7. “This will ensure patients continue receiving optimal care from the nuclear cardiology community as efforts to establish domestic manufacturers across the United States continue.”
The comments came in response to an inquiry from the administration after its launch of a section 232 investigation to determine the national security impact stemming from importing pharmaceuticals.
The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology said its priority remains “limiting the deleterious” from tariffs, such as inaccessibility or delays in testing. The organization has supported previous efforts to onshore radiopharmaceutical production, including the American Medical Isotope Production Act (AMIPA), passed by Congress in 2012. This legislation recognized the “urgent need” for domestic production of Mo-99, along with the imperative of “reducing reliance on foreign suppliers to ensure a reliable domestic supply for procedures.”
“Despite the aims and efforts of AMIPA, there is still no domestic source of Mo-99 available because of barriers that confront manufacturers, including regulatory hurdles and cost,” the two cardiology groups wrote to Howard Lutnick, U.S. secretary of commerce.
Our sister publication, Cardiovascular Business, has more on the history of this issue and the barriers to establishing a domestic Mo-99 supply.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.