ZURICH, March 6 (Reuters) - Novartis is not

panicking about higher tariffs on pharmaceutical imports that

U.S. President Donald Trump could impose, the drug maker's

Chairman Joerg Reinhardt said in an interview published on

Thursday.

President Trump last month flagged potential import duties

of about 25% on pharmaceuticals as part of measures affecting

other industries, including semiconductors and automobiles, as

he seeks to reshape global trade.

Reinhardt told Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung that

Novartis was following developments closely.

"Rhetoric is one thing, what actually happens is another.

Traditionally, pharmaceutical products have always been exempt

from tariffs. So this would be something new," Reinhardt said.

"We are not panicking. But of course we are following what

is coming with interest and are preparing for possible

scenarios," he added.

Reinhardt, who is stepping down after 12 years as chairman

at the company's AGM on Friday, said Novartis assumed the

financial impact of the tariffs would be limited.

"However, it is too early to make a final assessment," he

said.

Reinhardt also said he did not expect Novartis's takeover

strategy to change significantly under his successor, the former

Bristol-Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio.

"A large acquisition is unlikely. On the other hand, there

will always be purchases in the single-digit billion range,"

Reinhardt told the newspaper.

"This strategy was set by the Board of Directors for the

long term and will remain so. This will not change with

Giovanni."