Tariffs and Acupuncture Clinics

This week has been a rough ride, to put it lightly. Trying to keep up with the shifting landscape of tariffs (are they on? off?) and the ever-changing percentages and constantly trying to devise a contingency plan for our clinics has been difficult - or impossible.

I finally sat down and researched where products are manufactured (specifically herbal formulas and acupuncture needles, for now) and compiled what our suppliers have said so far. I'll try to keep things updated as I see them; feel free to email me an update at kate@fireweedacupuncture.com if you notice something is out of date.

It should go without saying, but I'll mention it anyway. This information is to the best of my knowledge. My Bachelor's in Speech Com and Master's in Acupuncture did not include manufacturing or supply line coursework, so I'm doing my best here. If you have more/better/different info, please email it to me!

Tariffs as of 4/11/25

• Taiwan: 10% general tariff (32% tariff paused)
• South Korea: 10% general tariff (25% paused)
• China: 145%

Current tariff amounts: BBC (4/10/25)

Herbal Formulas

So, how does this apply hypothetically? Herbal products imported directly from China will have the current tariff applied to them. Products manufactured in Taiwan with Chinese herbs will still be subject to the tariff rate for Taiwan. Products made in the US with Chinese herbs will have to pay the tariff rate for bulk herbs from China prior to manufacturing. I think this is right, but again, I'm open to correction. Also, not all herbs are grown in mainland China. (Basically, there are so many unknowns and it isn't really possible to predict too much right now.)

As Diana Hermann, founder of CMD Skin Solutions beautifully put it: “While CMD Skin Solutions purchases all our raw herbs from U.S.-owned companies, these medicinal herbs are grown in China and cannot currently be sourced anywhere else in the world. The herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine have been cultivated in China for generations upon generations. The climate, soil conditions, agricultural expertise, and processing of these herbs requires highly specialized knowledge and centuries-old techniques that are deeply rooted in China’s herbal tradition. These growing conditions, as well as the harvesting and processing knowledge, cannot currently be replicated in the U.S. at the scale or quality necessary for producing standardized medicine from these plant species. So, we must continue to import what we need to create our fine quality herbal products for you.”

Needles

Golden Needle has a very helpful chart of needle characteristics, including country of manufacturing, here: https://www.goldenneedleonline.com/acupuncture-needle-comparison-chart.html

Suppliers

Suppliers not listed have not yet sent out communications.

Do tariffs apply to digital goods?

So far, it appears not. This means our EHR apps should not be facing a tariff. Just in case, here’s what I know: