A local cancer organisation is closely tracking American plans to tax imported medications.

US president Donald Trump has said tariffs on imported pharmaceutical goods would be coming soon, to force drug companies to set up in America. Eighty per cent of American medications are made in places such as China and Ireland.

“While Bermuda sources medications and medical supplies from the US, Europe and other countries, tariffs applied in the US can still affect global supply chains and drive up local pricing,” Deborah Narraway, of the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, said.

She added that although the BCHC did not administer chemotherapy, some patients received it alongside their radiation treatment.

“Any increase in cost could limit access and compromise the effectiveness of co-ordinated treatment plans,” she said. “We are actively monitoring the situation and remain committed to supporting our patients through any changes.”

Krzysztof Puciaty, the manager of Caesar’s Pharmacy, is advising his customers not to panic.

“We do not foresee any medication price spikes coming down the pipeline, at least not for Caesar’s,” he said. “At the moment, prices are still the same. We are not seeing any messages from wholesalers telling us to stockpile.”

Most of Caesar’s medications are flown in, so they will not be impacted by any penalties related to shipping.

“That also counts for over-the-counter medications, for fever or pain,” Mr Puciaty said.

However, he admitted that the situation was volatile.

“I only speak for myself,” he said. “We do not know what will happen. We hear conflicting messages almost every day.”

He said the Sandys establishment was diversified enough to roll with any changes in the US.

“If one source becomes more costly, we can always try to get a medication from another country at a lower rate,” Mr Puciaty said. “It is really the shipping that hits pricing.”

Over the past few years, the only medication price increases he has seen were related to shipping and oil price hikes or due to shortages in certain medicines.

Tamara Richardson, the People’s Pharmacy chief executive, said her company in Hamilton did not import many medications from the US.

Most of their medications are imported through wholesaler BGA, from the UK and European Union.

People’s Pharmacy manager Aldrea Wilson said: “There are times when we are required to source medications only marketed in the US for a particular patient. In those situations, if the drug supply within the US is negatively affected by tariffs then exports to smaller jurisdiction such as Bermuda are blocked.”

She said drugs of concern would be specialist medications often used to treat rare conditions.