Healthcare faces rising theft and fraud

Healthcare: Cargo theft is becoming a patient-safety issue

Cargo theft is on the rise and high-value healthcare freight is an attractive target. Theft, fraud, or freight diversion can delay care, compromise product integrity, expose companies to compliance risks, and erode patient trust.

By the numbers

• Cargo theft losses across the United States and Canada exceeded $700 million in 2025, up roughly 60% year over year.
• The number of incidents increased 18%, while the average value per theft jumped 36%, reflecting more targeted attacks on high-value shipments.
• Earlier this year, the FBI warned of a growing trend in which criminals use cyber-enabled fraud and business impersonation schemes to hijack freight.

What's happening

• Tighter transportation capacity can create bottlenecks, longer dwell times, and handoff complexity. This provides additional opportunities for cargo theft and fraud.
• The last mile remains one of the most vulnerable links in the healthcare supply chain as specialty pharmaceuticals, biologics, and other high-value therapies move closer to patients.
• Healthcare supply chains are shifting from reactive incident response to proactive risk prevention, with greater investment in visibility tools, shipment monitoring, carrier verification, and end-to-end security controls.

What shippers should consider

• Healthcare shippers should review all cargo security practices.
• Priority actions include strengthening carrier vetting, reducing shipment dwell time, expanding item-level visibility and exception monitoring, and enhancing chain-of-custody procedures.
• Specialized healthcare logistics solutions that combine a secure carrier network with proactive risk management from pickup through delivery not only prevents losses, but ensures critical therapies reach patients safely, reliably, and compliantly.

Healthcare tariff outlook

Healthcare remains one of the sectors most exposed to ongoing U.S. trade policy changes.

The biggest development is the implementation of new Section 232 tariffs on patented pharmaceutical products and their ingredients. The U.S. administration argues that heavy reliance on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing poses a national security risk and is using tariffs to encourage domestic production. Major pharmaceutical companies have responded with roughly $400 billion in announced U.S. manufacturing and investment commitments.

The default tariff rate is 100% on covered branded pharmaceuticals. For large drug manufacturers, it took effect on July 31. Others have a reprieve until September 29, 2026. Companies that secure approved domestic manufacturing commitments or most-favored-nation pricing agreements may qualify for reduced rates or delayed implementation. Seventeen major drug manufacturers, including Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly, have reached agreements that defer tariff exposure until 2029.

Several categories remain exempt, including orphan drugs, cell and gene therapies, animal health products, and certain specialty pharmaceuticals. Generic drugs and biosimilars also continue to receive special treatment, although the framework remains subject to future review. Products sourced from the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein generally face lower rates than the default 100% tariff.

Beyond pharmaceuticals, healthcare supply chains remain vulnerable because of their reliance on imported medical devices and supplies. The American Hospital Association reported that U.S. hospitals imported more than $75 billion in medical devices and supplies in 2024, with China serving as a major source for products such as masks, gloves, and respirators. Smaller medical device and supply manufacturers often operate on thinner margins and may be less able to absorb higher import costs.

What shippers should consider

Rising trade compliance complexity is making customs expertise and supply chain visibility increasingly important. Closely monitor tariff exposure across both pharmaceutical and medical-device supply chains.

Priorities include:

• Reviewing country-of-origin data
• Evaluating sourcing alternatives
• Stress-testing landed-cost models
• Exploring customs strategies such as free trade zones, bonded warehousing, and duty mitigation programs.

For information on new trade enforcement actions, go to the Trade Policy & Customs section of this report.

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