The Trump administration is reviewing the national security implications of personal protective equipment, medical equipment and device imports, per a Federal Register notice to be published Friday.
According to the notice, the Commerce Department initiated a Section 232 investigation on Sept. 2 covering a wide swath of healthcare-related products. The goods under review range from surgical masks and other PPE to syringes, intravenous bags, pacemakers, blood glucose monitors, wheelchairs and hospital beds.
The Commerce Department will open a 21-day comment period for industry stakeholders after the notice is published.
As part of the investigation, the agency is evaluating U.S. demand for the various medical equipment and devices under review as well as domestic manufacturing capacity and the impact of imports and foreign trade practices on the sector. The investigation will also review whether tariffs or quotas should be considered to protect national security.
The probe adds to a growing list of sectors under Section 232 scrutiny from the Trump administration, with a separate investigation into robotics and industrial machinery also launching Sept. 2. Such investigations have previously heralded tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as cars and auto parts.
Other industries currently under review include semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, both longtime targets of President Donald Trump.
In August, Trump said he would place tariffs of up to 250% on pharmaceuticals over the next year and a half, continuing a months-long run of similar threats. The same month, he said he planned to implement tariffs of “approximately 100%” on semiconductor imports. The White House has yet to implement such measures.
