CTeL Leads Urgent Call to Action: Health Technology Must Be Exempt from Tariffs

WASHINGTON - April 23, 2025 - PRLog -- The Center for Telehealth & eHealth Law (CTeL), a leading non-profit research and policy institute, today announced it is spearheading a critical advocacy effort, including a multi-stakeholder sign-on letter, urging policymakers to exempt health technology, medical devices, and essential healthcare supplies from current and proposed tariffs. This urgent action is in response to growing concerns that these import taxes will severely undermine the stability and accessibility of American healthcare.

CTeL's recent analysis, "Protect American Healthcare: Why We Must Act Now on Tariffs (https://www.ctel.org/breakingnews/protect-american-healthcare-why-we-must-act-now-on-tariffs)," detailed the significant risks posed by tariffs on imported healthcare goods. The U.S. healthcare system relies heavily on global supply chains for everything from life-saving medications and advanced medical equipment to basic supplies like gloves and syringes. Tariffs on these essential items will inevitably lead to increased costs for providers and patients, strain already fragile supply chains, and could result in critical shortages, jeopardizing patient care across the nation.

The sign-on letter, being circulated among healthcare organizations, providers, and patient advocacy groups, emphasizes that while the goal of strengthening domestic manufacturing is important, applying tariffs to healthcare necessities creates an immediate and unacceptable threat to public health. The letter calls on the Administration and Congress to recognize the unique nature of the healthcare supply chain and implement immediate exemptions for all medical and health technology products.

"The potential consequences of imposing tariffs on health technology and medical supplies are dire," stated Christa Natoli, CTeL Executive Director. "We are uniting the healthcare community to send a clear message: we must protect patient access to care and the financial viability of our healthcare providers. Exempting health tech from these tariffs is not a matter of trade policy; it is a matter of public health and national security."

The advocacy campaign highlights that increased costs from tariffs will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and could force difficult decisions for hospitals and clinics already operating under significant financial pressure. Preventing these increased costs is crucial to maintaining the quality and accessibility of care for millions of Americans.

CTeL urges all concerned stakeholders to join this vital effort and sign the letter to demonstrate the widespread opposition to tariffs on essential healthcare goods.

For more information and to sign-on to these efforts visit www.ctel.org.

About CTeL:

The Center for Telehealth & e-Health Law (CTeL) is a non-profit research institute founded in 1995. CTeL is dedicated to researching and analyzing the legal, regulatory, and policy issues that affect the implementation of telehealth and digital health technologies. CTeL provides essential information and guidance to policymakers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders to advance the adoption of beneficial healthcare technologies and ensure patient access to care.