Article

Tariffs, Trials, and Trouble Ahead? The Wrong Clinical Trial Supply Vendor Could Cost Your Trial

Introduction

With the imminent rollout of new U.S. tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, clinical trials face an urgent and growing threat: supply chain volatility. Commercial and comparator drugs are at risk of price hikes, inventory shortages, and procurement chaos.

But there’s another element to consider.

Is your clinical supply partner prepared to protect you from vulnerable disruptions?

Four Considerations to Safeguard Your Clinical Trial Supply

1. How New Tariffs Pose Immediate Risk

25% tariffs on pharmaceutical imports from China, India, and Ireland are now expected to take effect in the coming months (Politico, 2025).

China and India produce about 80% of APIs for U.S. drugs (U.S. FDA, 2022)
Ireland remains the second-largest pharmaceutical exporter to the U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023)
In response, pharma imports into the U.S. surged in March 2025, with drugmakers accelerating procurement to get ahead of rising costs (Reuters, 2025)

Impact: Expect higher acquisition costs, unpredictable sourcing, and tighter supply chains for commercial and comparator drugs. These changes could disproportionately affect generic drug manufacturers, further worsening current drug shortages.

2. Supply Disruptions Create a Chain Reaction

Even a small sourcing issue can ripple across your entire study:

First Patient In (FPI) delays
Increased patient dropout rates (CenterWatch, 2022)
Higher protocol deviations, driving costs up by 10–15% per patient (Tufts CSDD, 2023)

As of April 2025, there are over 270 active drug shortages in the U.S. (ASHP, 2025), many of which began more than two years ago.

Impact: Missed endpoints, operational budget overruns, and regulatory setbacks.

Where It Gets Serious and Why the Right Partner Matters

3. Where Traditional Vendors Fail

Most clinical supply vendors are not built for increased levels of instability.

Vendor Risk Factors

Single-region sourcing
No contingency planning
Limited supply networks
Reactive, not proactive models

Consequences for Your Trial

Total disruption if tariffs take effect or export regulations change
Delayed responses, scrambling for replacements after disruption
No viable alternative sourcing options during shortages
Little to no stockpiling strategies to offset volatility

“In a world of interconnected risks, supply chain resilience isn’t optional, it’s a survival imperative.”

—Paraphrased from McKinsey & Company, Resiliency in Pharma Supply Chains, 2022

Data Snapshot

According to a 2023 Deloitte report, over 62% of pharma supply leaders say their vendors are unprepared for cross-border supply disruptions.

4. How Myonex Proactively Protects Your Study

At Myonex, we don’t react to disruption. We plan for it.

Myonex Strategic Advantage

Global sourcing across U.S., EU, APAC
Advance procurement and stockpiling
In-house comparator sourcing
End-to-end clinical supply services
Early risk mitigation modeling

How It Protects Your Trial

Resilient supply even if one region is disrupted
Secure inventory before shortages hit the open market
Direct access to select manufacturers cuts out intermediary risks
Fewer vendors to manage, faster execution, minimized complexity
Pricing forecasts and contingency plans built into your project upfront

“A clinical trial’s success often hinges not on protocol design, but on the executional realities that play out across its supply chain.”

—Clinical Leader, “Mitigating Trial Risk through Supply Chain Planning,” 2024

Data Snapshot

Trials working with integrated supply partners like Myonex experience 20–30% fewer timeline disruptions compared to trials using fragmented vendor models (Tufts CSDD, 2024).

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The clinical research landscape constantly shifts. Regulatory demands, competitive timelines, and ongoing drug shortages mean any disruption has a magnified impact.

Major drugmakers are already responding by shifting manufacturing, accelerating procurement, and investing in domestic capacity to prepare for tariff fallout.

If your supply chain fails, everything downstream is at risk.

The wrong vendor will leave you exposed.

The right partner will make sure your trial keeps moving, no matter what.

Clinical Supply Vendors vs. Myonex: Clinical Trial Supply Chain Impact Model

The Time to Strengthen Your Supply Chain Is Before Tariffs Hit – Not After

Hesitation is a risk you cannot afford.

You need global sourcing flexibility, early procurement strategies, and full-service clinical supply management to protect your clinical trial.

Myonex is ready to build your customized risk mitigation strategy today, protecting your drug access, safeguarding your timelines, and setting your trial up for success.

Schedule your consultation with a Myonex clinical supply expert now.

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