US Tariff Shocker for India’s Med. Tourism

While the intended impact of tariffs may not have been to affect healthcare, they do shape patient behaviour. The rise in the cost of medical devices ultimately leads to more out-of-pocket expenses for patients, said Alexandra Murdoch, sr medical analyst at GlobalData

New Delhi: As medical expenses continue to climb in the US, a growing number of patients are looking overseas for more cost-effective treatment options and suggested tariffs may impact the medical tourism industry, according to a new report.

US trade policy has seen notable changes recently, particularly with regard to import tariffs on countries such as China. Though these policies are usually justified by economic and geopolitical considerations, they also impact other areas, including the medical device industry and, more specifically, medical tourism.

One growing outcome is how these tariffs are affecting medical tourism- the practice of traveling to another country to receive healthcare services, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The US has imposed steep tariffs on a range of medical products imported from China, including syringes and needles, rubber medical and surgical gloves, and facemasks.

“These items are integral to a wide variety of medical procedures and daily healthcare operations. The imposition of tariffs on such goods has disrupted supply chains, constrained hospital procurement strategies, and driven up the cost of healthcare delivery across the US,” said the report.