Ministers in ‘active conversation’ with UK drug firms over potential tariffs

Government seeks ways to shield industry from possible US levies amid concern over effect on medicine supply

Ministers are having an active conversation" with UK pharmaceutical firms about the potential impact of US tariffs, amid calls for an emergency taskforce to make sure the supply of medicines is not disrupted.

The UK government has been trying to head off the threat of tariffs to the pharmaceuticals industry, which exports about 7bn of goods to the US - just behind the 8.3bn of car exports.