NHS Faces ‘Critical Threat’ From Both Trump’s Drug Price Hikes And Labour's Funding From Private US Health Interests
Trump has always claimed the NHS causes US Healthcare high costs
Farage wedded to ditching the NHS for insurance based private healthcare
The NHS is under mounting financial pressure amid soaring drug prices, as pharmaceutical companies respond to aggressive new trade policies introduced by former US President Donald Trump.
Industry experts and politicians have warned that the UK health service faces a "critical threat" from drug price inflation, triggered by Trump's demand that other countries, including the UK, pay more for American-made medicines.
Of course this is all part of the drive from NHS England and the 'Labour Government's political and healthcare advisers', many of whom are paid by private healthcare interest donations to Wes Streeting and free personel from the likes of United Health, McKinsey, and others embdedded within the DHSC and NHS England; to develope the NHS into a private insurance system based on the US model!
This latest threat comes following the UK Government handing over control of NHS patient's to the US's spy company Palantir, who have links to the genocide going on in Gaza, and their history of working with the CIA, not to mention having been found guilty of fraud and abuse of the private data they 'harvest' as part of their tech contrqcts with varius shady governments.
Starting October 1, the US will impose 100% tariffs on branded medicines imported from abroad — unless manufacturers shift production to the United States. No exemption has been announced for the UK, a key pharmaceutical trading partner, which exported £7 billion in drugs to the US last year.
The tariff plan has sparked fears of a major disruption to the UK pharmaceutical sector, which supports tens of thousands of jobs and contributes over £17 billion in value to the economy. Several companies, including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and Merck (MSD), have already halted or cancelled planned investments in the UK, opting instead to expand operations in the US.
At the heart of the crisis is the widening rift over global drug pricing. Trump has accused US pharmaceutical companies of “subsidising socialism abroad” by keeping international prices low, while Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world. In May, he signed an executive order enforcing a “most favoured nation” policy, effectively pressuring companies to raise overseas prices in exchange for domestic reductions.
However, UK officials and healthcare leaders argue that the policy will not lower US prices — and will instead result in global price inflation, with devastating consequences for public health systems like the NHS.
“This is not about improving health outcomes,” said Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paul Scriven, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on pharmacy. “It’s cheap, transactional economics that are putting lives at risk.”
Already, several high-profile pharmaceutical firms have raised UK prices. Bristol Myers Squibb announced it would charge US-level prices — around £16,800 a year — for its schizophrenia drug Cobenfy. Eli Lilly also confirmed plans to increase the cost of its weight-loss injection, Mounjaro, by up to 170%, citing the UK’s “uncompetitive” pricing.
At the same time, both companies have paused major investment plans in the UK. Eli Lilly is holding back on a planned London lab while awaiting “clarity” on the UK's pharmaceutical environment, and Merck has cancelled a £1 billion research hub in the capital.
The consequences could be far-reaching. Nearly £2 billion in pharmaceutical research investment has been paused or withdrawn, and more than 2,000 jobs are at risk.
Industry leaders say the situation could affect patient access to life-saving treatments. If the NHS cannot absorb the increased costs — with medicine spending already hitting £19.9 billion last year, up 16% from 2021/22 — it may be forced to cut services or face supply chain disruptions.
“There is a real risk of medicine shortages,” said Henry Gregg, head of the National Pharmacy Association. “We need reassurance that steps are being taken to protect patients and pharmacies on the front line.”
Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance has admitted that some drug price increases may be “a necessary part” of responding to the pharmaceutical exodus. However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the issue as a “live conversation”, hinting that the government may consider budget increases to offset the pressure.
Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, warned that “patients should not have to pay the price in a global trade war,” adding that price surges threaten to undermine the NHS’s ability to deliver universal care.
Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Manufacturers Association, also cautioned that higher tariffs could increase costs for US healthcare — without guaranteeing price reductions for American consumers.
Meanwhile, the UK’s pharmaceutical industry warns of long-term consequences if current trends continue.
“This pressure isn't just about current prices; it’s about the future of our healthcare,” said Lord Scriven. “We are witnessing a clear pivot away from the UK. The NHS, our economy, and most importantly our patients, are being put at risk.”
Source: The Telegraph / The Canary / EveryDoctor
See also: NHS Privatisation News Archive
