AdvaMed CEO calls for tariff-free trade in medical technology

Scott Whitaker: ©Advamed

Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of AdvaMed, the Medtech Association, is calling for a reciprocal "zero-for-zero" tariff model among U.S. trading partners for medical technologies, emphasizing that tariff-free trade is critical to maintaining the industry's competitiveness and ensuring patient access to lifesaving products.

In an interview with Joe Mullings of the Mullings Group, Whitaker said, “If we can get to a [reciprocal] zero-for-zero model, [based on a] humanitarian exemption, that’s the best place for everyone to land.”

Whitaker acknowledged broader concerns over trade imbalances but stressed that patient needs must come first. “I know there’s a bigger issue at play here on trade imbalances, but on behalf of patients … I think that’s the place where we need to land,” he said.

He also noted ongoing discussions with Chinese officials regarding exemptions for medical technology products. “It looks like China is going to have their own set of exemptions from tariffs. It feels like an element of that is going to be in medtech, and we’ve argued really aggressively with Chinese officials that they need to exempt medtech products on behalf of patients as well,” Whitaker said. “So, we’re starting to see some movement there.”

Turning to Europe, Whitaker said AdvaMed has been making a similar case. “We’ve been making the argument, in every country, but particularly in Europe … why don’t we just all move to a [reciprocal] zero-for-zero tariff model?” he said. “Zero tariffs from Europe on us, though they’re already really low—zero tariffs from the U.S. to Europe …. We feel very confident … just let us compete fairly, evenly, no tariffs—let us serve patients as best we can, let’s impact peoples’ lives, and the best companies are going to win. That’s the way the system should work.”

AdvaMed has consistently argued that medical technologies should be exempt from tariffs, noting that the U.S. is the global leader in medtech innovation and manufacturing. The association warns that any disruption in the supply of medical technologies could undermine patient care in hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices around the world.

How tariffs could disrupt the medical device industry

Tariffs on medical technologies could have wide-ranging consequences for patients, providers, and the broader health care system. The medical device industry relies heavily on complex, global supply chains to source the specialized materials and components needed to manufacture everything from surgical instruments to diagnostic imaging machines. Many devices include parts from multiple countries, making even modest tariffs disruptive to production and delivery timelines.

When tariffs increase the cost of importing components or finished goods, manufacturers often face a difficult choice: absorb the costs, raise prices, or scale back production. Any of these options could limit the availability of critical medical technologies, delay innovation, and increase costs for hospitals, clinics, and ultimately, patients. In a sector where timely access to devices can be a matter of life and death, even small disruptions can have serious consequences.

AdvaMed and other industry advocates argue that tariffs on medtech not only hurt U.S. patients and providers, but also undermine the country’s global leadership in medical innovation. The United States is home to many of the world's largest and most innovative device companies. Tariffs could erode their competitiveness by increasing manufacturing costs, discouraging investment, and creating incentives to shift production offshore to countries with more favorable trade environments.

Previous research has shown that tariffs in the healthcare sector can have unintended downstream effects, including shortages of certain devices and higher overall healthcare costs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, trade barriers on medical supplies demonstrated how vulnerable healthcare systems can become when the free flow of goods is interrupted.