Washington: The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday initiated a process to gather public comments on instances where foreign countries suppress pharmaceutical product prices below market value. This move is part of an effort to address what USTR refers to as “freeloading” on U.S.-financed medical research.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the USTR’s initiative to collect comments by June 27 follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month. The order aims to reduce prescription drug costs for American citizens, aligning them with the prices paid in other countries. This development has raised concerns about potential U.S. scrutiny of South Korean pharmaceutical firms, as USTR has previously criticized South Korea’s pharmaceutical pricing policies.

The USTR has invited comments from interested parties about any actions, policies, or practices that may be unreasonable, discriminatory, or detrimental to United States national security. The agency is particularly concerned with practices that force American patients to bear a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical research and development costs. This call for comments was made public through a docket.

In its annual report on foreign trade barriers released in March, the USTR highlighted concerns from the U.S. pharmaceutical and medical device industries. These industries have expressed issues with a perceived lack of transparency in South Korea’s pricing and reimbursement policies, as well as insufficient opportunities for stakeholder input on proposed policy changes.