US residents may soon be buying drugs from Canada—legally
Biologics are out but most other prescription-drug categories in play as the Trump Administration prepares to start allowing broad, state-by-state importation of drugs from Canada. The White House’s main aim is widening consumer access to lower prices.
Word of the policy’s advance comes in an undated final rule document issued Sept. 24 by HHS Secretary Alex Azar and publicized in a briefing the same day by President Trump. The rule was initially proposed last December.
According to multiple outlets, six states have so far sought such clearance from Washington—Florida, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Vermont.
Residents in each of those will now do legally what many have been doing despite the standing law, enforcers of which have tended to look the other way for individual purchasers.
Unless it’s successfully challenged on legal grounds, the rule will go live 60 days after it’s published in the Federal Register, according to the pre-publication rule document.
Pushback is sure to come from not only Democrats but also other stakeholders.
For one, the Canadian government is concerned high demand in the U.S. will sap short supplies from its neighbor to the north, according to coverage by Kaiser Health News.
For another, the American drug industry has already signaled its intention to push back hard.
“We are reviewing the final rule and guidance that were released; however, we continue to have grave concerns with drug importation that exposes Americans unnecessarily to the dangers of counterfeit or adulterated drugs,” a spokesperson for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America told KHN soon after the news broke. “It is alarming that the administration chose to pursue a policy that threatens public health at the same time that we are fighting a global pandemic.”
Meanwhile Trump is charging ahead.
“This will be a game changer for American seniors,” the President said at the Thursday briefing. “We’re doing it very, very quickly.”
For fuller coverage, read the KHN reportage and this Health Affairs blog post.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.