Keep health care out of the trade war: Medtech Canada urges governments to act as U.S. targets Canadian products

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 23, 2026 /CNW/ -- Medtech Canada is calling on provinces and the federal government to work together to prevent further escalation and protect patients and Canadian medical technology companies following a Memorandum targeting Canadian-origin products in U.S. federal procurement.

The September 16 memorandum directs U.S. officials to identify Canadian-origin products that could be removed or made unavailable for purchase through the U.S. federal civil procurement system. The U.S. Administration has explicitly cited Canadian federal procurement preferences and provincial restrictions on U.S. companies as reasons for the action.

"This is precisely the type of escalation we have been warning about since provinces began introducing procurement restrictions against U.S. companies," said Nicole DeKort, President and CEO of Medtech Canada. "We understood why governments wanted to respond strongly to U.S. trade actions. But we have consistently said that health care should never become part of the retaliation. Patients cannot become pawns in a trade war."

Canada and the United States have deeply integrated medical technology supply chains.

Statistics Canada reports that Canada exported $2.7 billion in medical devices in 2023, with approximately $2 billion--nearly three-quarters of the total--going to the United States.

At the same time, Canada imported $10.7 billion in medical devices, including $4.8 billion from the United States.

"Canadian medical technology companies need access to the U.S. market, and Canadian patients need reliable access to U.S. technologies," said DeKort. "Creating barriers in either direction puts both at risk."

The threat of additional trade barriers comes as Canada's medical-device supply chain is already under pressure. Health Canada reported 69 medical-device shortages in 2024–25, a 19% increase from the previous year, affecting 1,439 individual devices.

"This is exactly the wrong time to add more uncertainty to health-care supply chains," said DeKort. "Canada is a relatively small global market and relies heavily on imported medical technologies. We should be making it easier--not harder--for essential technologies to reach patients."

The new U.S. memorandum does not immediately ban Canadian medical technologies from federal procurement and does not yet identify specific products for exclusion.

That means there is still an opportunity to prevent medical technologies from becoming further entangled in the dispute.

Medtech Canada continues to urge provincial governments to remove procurement restrictions affecting medical technologies in Canada given the critical humanitarian and health system impacts of these technologies and to signal to the U.S. that these products need to be exempt from any restrictions on their side of the border as well.

Medtech Canada continues to call for a Zero-for-Zero approach to medical technologies: no tariffs, no retaliatory tariffs and no discriminatory procurement restrictions on medical technologies moving between Canada and the United States.

"Get health care off the battlefield," said DeKort. "Protect patients on both sides of the border. Patients must come first--always."

For more information:
Medtech Canada Fact Sheet: Canada-U.S. Medical Technology Trade, Procurement and Supply Chain Risks

About Medtech Canada
Medtech Canada is the national association representing the medical technology industry in Canada. The association advocates for achieving patient access to leading edge, innovative technology solutions that provide valuable outcomes. Medtech Canada members are committed to providing safe and innovative medical technologies that enhance the quality of patient care, improve patient access to health care, and help enable the sustainability of our health care system. The medical technology industry in Canada employs over 88,000 Canadians. www.medtechcanada.org

SOURCE Medtech Canada

Gerry Frenette, Vice President, Public and Member Relations, Medtech Canada - [email protected]