Is Trump targeting the NHS in trade negotiations? This reports says it is
Last updated: 15:00 16 Jun 2025 BST, First published: 14:47 16 Jun 2025 BST
Britain could face higher drug costs as part of a deal to stave off future tariffs from Donald Trump, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
Documents released after a recent trade agreement show the NHS is expected to review its approach to drug pricing in response to US demands.
Sources in both Westminster and Washington told the paper the UK will be asked to pay more for American medicines to address concerns raised by Trump over international pricing disparities.
The US president has long argued that American consumers shoulder the cost of global drug development, pointing to lower prices in countries like the UK.
The new deal reportedly includes provisions for Britain to scale back on Chinese pharmaceutical imports and to negotiate preferential treatment for US drugs.
Industry figures say any price shift could impact the NHS’s voluntary clawback scheme, potentially adding £1.5bn a year to medicine costs.
