British lawmakers demand probe into cost of Trump NHS deal
The U.K. government has so far refused to publish how much the deal will ultimately cost Britain's National Health Service.
British lawmakers have urged the U.K.'s spending watchdog to probe the financial impact of the U.K.-U.S. drug pricing agreement. Six parliamentary committee chairs sent a letter to the National Audit Office on Wednesday, stating there is "significant public interest in understanding its implications for public expenditure" given the U.K. government's refusal to disclose the deal's costs.
The agreement, reached in December 2022, obligates the U.K. to increase its pharmaceutical spending to 0.6% of GDP by 2035 in exchange for three years of zero tariffs on U.S. pharmaceutical products. The government plans to double its pharma spending under the deal, but has not released a comprehensive cost assessment. Critics argue the trade deal will divert NHS resources toward more expensive treatments, potentially harming public health.
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