Some pharmaceutical companies have started to increase their shipments of medicines via air to the United States in response to worries that President Donald Trump's recent tariff announcement on April 2 might involve products made in Europe. This has been confirmed by two executives and two logistics firms.

European-based drug manufacturers have expedited their medicine deliveries across the Atlantic in recent weeks due to concerns about potential tariffs, with reports of other companies following suit. To prepare for any tariff scenarios, one executive mentioned that his company is utilizing global cargo and transport services like United Parcel Service Inc and DHL to increase air shipments of medicines.

Another international drugmaker source disclosed that they are hastening the import of available stock from overseas to stay ahead of potential tariffs, without specifying the shipping method. Though DHL noted an uptick in pharmaceutical exports by air from Europe, they did not provide a specific reason for this trend. UPS chose not to comment, and FedEx did not address the issue directly.

While pharmaceutical products have historically been immune to trade disputes, the escalating tariff situation between the U.S. and China, along with the EU, has led to concerns that medicines could soon be subjected to tariffs as well. The U.S. relies on medicines partially manufactured in Europe, contributing significantly to its revenue.

The possibility of pharmaceutical tariffs has been a concern since before Trump's presidency, with his previous campaign statements on universal import tariffs. He has since threatened a 25% tariff on pharmaceutical imports and EU goods.

Kuehne and Nagel observed an increase in larger pharmaceutical shipments to the U.S. by air, though they couldn't confirm if this surge was tariff-related. Although air freight is a more expensive option than sea transport, companies are opting for it due to its speed, particularly for rare-disease medicines and vaccines with limited shelf lives.

One executive revealed that his company is building up stock in the U.S., the largest market in the pharmaceutical industry valued at around $630 billion, to mitigate the immediate impact of potential tariffs if imposed.