Ebook

Tariffs & Triage: How The Medical Device Sector Is Bracing For Disruption

Tariffs have become a recurring fault line in global trade policy—difficult to predict but impossible to ignore as a‘new normal’. For the medical device industry, where cross-border supply chains are foundational and regulatory compliance is non- negotiable, the threat of trade disruptions introduces operational and strategic stress. There is also a case for supply chains running through Asia still remain relevant and irreplaceable today. To gauge how prepared the sector is, we surveyed 181 professionals across the medical manufacturing ecosystem, from contract manufacturers and R&D specialists to regulatory leaders and corporate executives.

Strategic Shifts: Price First, Then Production

Faced with rising input costs and potential supply chain friction, medical device firms are gravitating toward strategies that balance financial prudence with structural flexibility.

A Tight Squeeze for Margins

The anticipated financial toll from tariffs and related disruptions is significant.

Quick Turn Timelines

Despite the cautious tone of earlier preparedness metrics, companies are moving quickly once action is triggered.

Associate With Good Company

Industry groups, like AdvaMed, have voiced concerns to the Administration about the impact of tariffs on the medical technology supply chain and are advocating for exemptions similar to those granted during the previous round of China tariffs.