The US will not impose any tariff on certain speciality drugs and associated ingredients used for the treatment of rare medical conditions imported from India and 19 other countries.

The US Commerce Department published the list of countries in the Federal Register as it prepares to impose a 100 per cent tariff on certain patented pharmaceutical imports and their associated ingredients from September 29.

On April 2, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to impose tariffs on imports of patented pharmaceuticals, biologics and associated ingredients into the US as part of efforts to encourage domestic production.

Eligible products for the zero per cent tariff rate include all drugs designated for rare diseases, infertility treatments, cell therapies, gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and animal pharmaceuticals. Components of these drugs are also subject to a zero per cent tariff rate.

Besides India, the other countries in the zero-tariff category are Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, North Macedonia, South Korea, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Taiwan, Thailand, Britain and Vietnam.

The notice said qualifying products from these jurisdictions could receive a zero per cent tariff because they have a current or forthcoming trade and security framework agreement with the US.

The exemptions are part of the implementation of Trump’s April proclamation adjusting imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.