{"id":444919,"date":"2026-01-31T10:04:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T10:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/444919\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T10:04:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T10:04:18","slug":"how-u-s-trade-policy-affects-health-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/444919\/","title":{"rendered":"How U.S. trade policy affects health care"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Canadian Health Coalition\u2019s Steven Staples discusses how tariff-driven disruptions underscore vulnerabilities in Canada\u2019s drug and medical supply chains. <\/p>\n

As the United States continues to place tariffs on nations around the world, economists have focused on inflation, markets and trade balances. But researchers warn the fallout could also show up in doctors\u2019 offices, grocery aisles and hospital budgets.<\/p>\n

In a new analysis published by The British Medical Journal (BMJ<\/a>), researchers Courtney McNamara of Newcastle University and Benjamin Hawkins of the University of Cambridge argue that trade policy is a powerful, and often overlooked, driver of public health, impacting access to medicines and food, as well as job security and the financial stability of health systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tend to hear a lot about economics, about markets, but actually trade shapes everyday lives,\u201d McNamara, a co-author of the study, said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. \u201cIt shapes the price and availability of food, the cost of medicines. It shapes how secure people feel in their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Healthcare Researchers are warning about the impacts of tariffs on access to healthcare. (Pexels) Medicine access and rising costs<\/p>\n

One of the most immediate concerns involves pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, the researchers say. Trade rules influence drug pricing and global supply chains, and even the threat of tariffs can inject uncertainty into systems that rely on predictability.<\/p>\n

In Canada, advocates say tariff-driven disruptions underscore vulnerabilities in both drug and medical supply chains.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should all be able to supply our own health-care needs, such as medication (and) vaccines, right here in Canada,\u201d said Steven Staples, national director of policy and advocacy with the Canadian Health Coalition, in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t too long ago during the (COVID-19) pandemic that what was happening in drug (manufacturing) far around the world was having an impact on Canadians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staples said Ottawa should make plans for medical self-sufficiency, just like it does in other areas like the defence sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like the prime minister is looking at national security and trying to build weaponry in Canada, we should all be able to supply our own health-care needs such as medication (and) vaccines \u2026 right here in Canada,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\"\"pharmacy, medication, shelves, Canada Shelves of medication are seen at a pharmacy. <\/p>\n

Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, said Canada\u2019s deep economic integration with the U.S. makes the health sector particularly sensitive to trade shocks, even when drugs themselves are not directly targeted.<\/p>\n

\u201cPharmaceuticals are not immune to those tariffs and economic pressures,\u201d Bates said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca, noting that while most drugs in Canada are imported, rather than manufactured domestically, hospitals and pharmacies rely heavily on devices and equipment that are tied to cross-border supply chains.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could see shortages, we could see an increase in prices and things of that nature,\u201d he said. \u201cIt does have a cascade impact across the system.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an example, he referred to the tariffs on materials such as steel and aluminum, saying they could cascade into higher prices and shortages for medical devices, including those used to manage chronic conditions like diabetes.<\/p>\n

The BMJ analysis notes that brand-name drugs and medicines produced by smaller U.S. manufacturers may be especially vulnerable to price hikes, but similar pressures can spill across borders in highly integrated markets.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody\u2019s feeling the impact of the tariffs or planning for the impact,\u201d said Paul Sarnese, former president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. \u201cPharmaceutical prices are going to increase and ultimately that\u2019s going to get passed to the insurance providers and then ultimately to the patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarnese said rising costs could prompt patients to postpone procedures or medications they can no longer afford, only to require more expensive care later. <\/p>\n

\"\"A customer A customer shops in the produce section at a Metro grocery store in Toronto on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Food prices and nutrition<\/p>\n

Tariffs can also shape what people eat. The study notes that higher import duties on fresh produce can push grocery prices upward, while tariffs on metals used in food packaging may raise the cost of staples such as canned beans and soup.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we see prices increase on these sorts of goods, then families who are less able to absorb price shocks end up eating sometimes less healthy food,\u201d McNamara said. \u201cThis can have domino impacts on people\u2019s nutritional quality and intake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lower-income households are particularly exposed, the researchers argue, because they spend a larger share of their income on food and are more likely to switch to cheaper, ultra-processed options when prices rise.<\/p>\n

Jobs, economic stress and health systems<\/p>\n

Study authors say employment is central to the political case for tariffs and a critical determinant of health. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people feel their job is under threat, (their) health suffers,\u201d McNamara said.<\/p>\n

Staples said trade-related layoffs can also have indirect effects on health-care access in Canada, particularly when people lose employer-based drug coverage, increasing pressure on public systems and household budgets. <\/p>\n

He also warned against Ottawa\u2019s public-sector job cuts, saying it will weaken health-care oversight.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of those jobs are responsible for making sure that our drugs are safe, that our food is safe, that health care is being provided for in the provinces,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we see those jobs cut, that is going to further create an insecurity for Canadians.\u201d<\/p>\n

At a broader level, the BMJ study argues that tariffs can fuel inflation and economic volatility, squeezing government revenues needed to fund health and social programs.<\/p>\n

\"\"Healthcare Researchers warn about the impacts of tariffs on access to health care. (Pexels) A call to bring health into trade debates<\/p>\n

The authors say the global tariff war should be a wake-up call for the health community and governments to consider the importance of health impacts earlier, not as an afterthought.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t just be thinking in terms of macroeconomic figures and stock markets and economic growth, but how these things are impacting people\u2019s daily lives,\u201d McNamara said, adding that health professionals should be part of the trade policy making process.<\/p>\n

Staples said that emphasis is especially important in Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really want to see the federal government paying much more attention to health care \u2026 because of the essential role that it provides for Canadians,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For Bates, the stakes are ultimately measured at the pharmacy counter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere this really hits home is when people can\u2019t access their medications, or they\u2019re so expensive that continuity of care is impacted,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s when these trade decisions stop being abstract and become very real for Canadians.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Canadian Health Coalition\u2019s Steven Staples discusses how tariff-driven disruptions underscore vulnerabilities in Canada\u2019s drug and medical supply…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":444920,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[712,49,48,84,392],"class_list":["post-444919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-apple-news","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444919"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444919\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}