MITA Applauds Lawmakers Efforts to Exempt Medical Devices from Tariffs
Representatives Paulsen, Peters lead bipartisan letter to Lighthizer with the support of 40 lawmakers.
Rosslyn, VA, May 31, 2018 --(PR.com)-- The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) – the leading organization and collective voice of medical imaging equipment, radiopharmaceutical manufacturers, innovators, and product developers – today applauded Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Scott Peters (CA-52) for leading a bipartisan letter with the support of 40 lawmakers urging United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer to exempt almost $3 billion worth of medical device products from China from Section 301 tariffs.
“This bipartisan initiative to exempt medical devices from proposed tariffs, which is supported by 40 members of Congress, demonstrates Congressional recognition of the enormous economic and health value of medical devices, including imaging technologies,” said Patrick Hope, executive director of MITA. “We thank Congressmen Paulsen and Peters for leading this effort and for advocating on behalf of their constituents and our employees and the patients they serve.”
In their letter to the USTR the lawmakers wrote: “As you know, the U.S. medical technology industry is an American success story. This U.S. industry has been historically competitive on a global level and is one of the few with a consistent trade surplus.
“With its growing economy and middle class, rapidly aging population, and increased demand for medical technology, China will continue to be an attractive market for U.S. manufacturers. With that in mind, we are concerned that inclusion of medical devices on any final Section 301 tariff list could lead to retaliation that would jeopardize these opportunities,” the lawmakers continued.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote they are requesting that all medical technology products be removed from the Section 301 tariff list.
“Not doing so would not only hurt U.S. manufacturing as the majority of imports from China are inputs to manufacture finished medical technology products right here in America, but also impacts their ability to compete globally, and potentially increase healthcare costs, which would limit patient access to life-saving technology,” the lawmakers wrote.
MITA joined with lawmakers in expressing significant concerns about the proposed tariffs on the importation from China of medical imaging devices and the components used to manufacture medical imaging devices.
In a May 10 letter to Ambassador Lighthizer, MITA said the tariffs would amount to a “double tax on manufacturers.” MITA wrote that many products are imported from a manufacturer in China to a manufacturing facility in the U.S., where they are substantially transformed and then re-exported – often back to China. Taxing these products on both ends of one company’s supply chain could create a disincentive to manufacture in the United States.
MITA also said it was encouraged that the Administration is conducting a public comment period to understand the implications of any tariffs and make adjustments to the preliminary list before any tariffs are imposed.
The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of NEMA, is the collective voice of medical imaging equipment manufacturers, innovators and product developers. It represents companies whose sales comprise more than 90 percent of the global market for advanced medical imaging technology. For more information, visit www.medicalimaging.org. Follow MITA on Twitter @MITAToday.
“This bipartisan initiative to exempt medical devices from proposed tariffs, which is supported by 40 members of Congress, demonstrates Congressional recognition of the enormous economic and health value of medical devices, including imaging technologies,” said Patrick Hope, executive director of MITA. “We thank Congressmen Paulsen and Peters for leading this effort and for advocating on behalf of their constituents and our employees and the patients they serve.”
In their letter to the USTR the lawmakers wrote: “As you know, the U.S. medical technology industry is an American success story. This U.S. industry has been historically competitive on a global level and is one of the few with a consistent trade surplus.
“With its growing economy and middle class, rapidly aging population, and increased demand for medical technology, China will continue to be an attractive market for U.S. manufacturers. With that in mind, we are concerned that inclusion of medical devices on any final Section 301 tariff list could lead to retaliation that would jeopardize these opportunities,” the lawmakers continued.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote they are requesting that all medical technology products be removed from the Section 301 tariff list.
“Not doing so would not only hurt U.S. manufacturing as the majority of imports from China are inputs to manufacture finished medical technology products right here in America, but also impacts their ability to compete globally, and potentially increase healthcare costs, which would limit patient access to life-saving technology,” the lawmakers wrote.
MITA joined with lawmakers in expressing significant concerns about the proposed tariffs on the importation from China of medical imaging devices and the components used to manufacture medical imaging devices.
In a May 10 letter to Ambassador Lighthizer, MITA said the tariffs would amount to a “double tax on manufacturers.” MITA wrote that many products are imported from a manufacturer in China to a manufacturing facility in the U.S., where they are substantially transformed and then re-exported – often back to China. Taxing these products on both ends of one company’s supply chain could create a disincentive to manufacture in the United States.
MITA also said it was encouraged that the Administration is conducting a public comment period to understand the implications of any tariffs and make adjustments to the preliminary list before any tariffs are imposed.
The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of NEMA, is the collective voice of medical imaging equipment manufacturers, innovators and product developers. It represents companies whose sales comprise more than 90 percent of the global market for advanced medical imaging technology. For more information, visit www.medicalimaging.org. Follow MITA on Twitter @MITAToday.
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Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance
Tracy Cullen
703.841.3282
https://www.medicalimaging.org/
Tracy Cullen
703.841.3282
https://www.medicalimaging.org/
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