The United States will not impose product-specific tariffs on certain specialized medicines and pharmaceutical inputs imported from Bangladesh, according to a list issued by the US Department of Commerce.

The exemption covers medicines and pharmaceutical products used to treat rare and complex diseases, infertility treatments, cell-based and gene-based therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as well as veterinary medicines and related inputs.

Bangladesh is among 21 countries and regions included in the list. The US Commerce Department and Federal Register had earlier indicated that a 100 percent tariff could be imposed on certain patented drugs and related pharmaceutical inputs from September 29.

Under the latest decision, qualifying products from the listed countries will be exempt from the additional tariff.

The list also includes India, Argentina, Cambodia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, North Macedonia, South Korea, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.

The exemption is linked to current and upcoming trade and security framework agreements with the United States.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had announced on April 2 that tariffs would be imposed on patented drugs, biotechnology medicines and related inputs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

However, generic medicines and their related ingredients are excluded from the pharmaceutical tariff. The US has also made technical corrections to the definition of generic pharmaceuticals and clarified that “pharmaceutical articles” include finished medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients and key precursor ingredients.

NDTV.