What Will It Take to Reshore Generic Drug Manufacturing?

The Trump administration’s plan to impose 100% tariffs on imported generic drugs by August 2028 is spurring conversations about whether manufacturers can realistically reshore production before that deadline. But bringing production back to the U.S. will require more than tariffs alone, as manufacturers consider challenges around cost, capacity, workforce and infrastructure.

In this episode of Off Script, we spoke with Tom Strohl, president of Oliver Wight Americas, about the critical factors manufacturers need to consider to make pharmaceutical reshoring a reality. Strohl discussed the importance of considering the total landed cost of domestic versus overseas production, the capacity and workforce challenges associated with large-scale reshoring, and why moving API production back to the U.S. could prove even more difficult than finished-dose manufacturing. We also discussed if manufacturers have enough time to prepare for the 2028 tariff cliff, how manufacturers can balance cost with the long-term benefits of a more resilient domestic supply chain, and how AI and robotics could support a new generation of domestic manufacturing.