STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about U.S. pressuring Germany on drug prices, FDA upheaval and biotech clinical trials, and more
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- Jamieson Greer and Chris Klomp met with German Ambassador Jens Hanefeld to discuss using Section 301 tariffs to pressure Germany to pay higher drug prices; the ambassador agreed to review the proposal but no deal was reached.
- Trump administration is pushing foreign markets to shoulder higher medication costs as the United States pays less for drugs.
- U.S. biotech companies are considering moving early‑stage clinical trials to the European Union and Australia due to concerns about FDA staff layoffs and policy changes.
- Reuters reported that seven biotech executives, investors, and consultants confirmed FDA leadership exits and restructuring are prompting firms to engage with foreign regulators earlier in drug development.
- Tracy Beth Høeg left her role as head of the FDA’s drug center, creating a leadership vacuum that adds to biotech firms’ uncertainty.
Why it matters: The Trump administration’s push to raise foreign drug prices and the FDA’s leadership vacuum force U.S. biotech firms to shift trials abroad, potentially slowing domestic drug pipelines and raising costs for overseas patients.
