AdvaMed CEO Calls for “Zero for Zero” Reciprocal Tariffs on Medtech with U.S. Trading Partners

WASHINGTON - Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of AdvaMed, the Medtech Association, today called for a reciprocal "zero for zero" model with respect to tariffs among U.S. trading partners for medical technologies. In an interview with Joe Mullings of the Mullings Group, Whitaker stated that tariff-free trade is critical to maintaining the highly competitive nature of the medtech industry, which keeps prices down and serves patients nationwide and globally with a robust breadth and depth of lifesaving medtech.

"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 said.

"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.

"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 continued. "So, we're starting to see some movement there."

"Then, as you look to Europe, 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? 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."

Since the beginning of the tariffs debate, AdvaMed has called for an exemption for medtech. The U.S. is the global leader in medtech innovation and manufacturing, and medtech is essential to patient care around the clock nationwide and globally. Any disruption in the ample supply of medtech could undermine the timely provision of care in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices.

Whitaker recently outlined why medtech warrants flexibility from tariffs in a Baltimore Sun op-ed. A recent Financial Times news story explores the supply chain complexity of key medtech products and how tariffs would upend the provision of component parts and ultimately the finished goods upon which patients rely.

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