The Food and Drug Administration has approved Florida’s request to import certain drugs from Canada, marking the first time a state has been authorized to buy lower-cost medications in bulk from abroad.
The historic move is the latest salvo in the long-running battle to lower drug prices, one of Americans’ biggest health care headaches and a major element of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, is also highlighting his importation proposal as he seeks to curtail drug costs.
While US law allows drug importation, it never gained traction because of federal health officials’ concerns over safety and actual savings as well as fierce opposition from American drug manufacturers and Republican lawmakers.
Former President Donald Trump, however, made drug importation a centerpiece of his effort to reduce drug costs and pushed for federal approval of Florida’s proposal. In 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a final rule establishing a path for states and certain other entities to set up drug importation programs. The next year, Biden issued an executive order directing the FDA commissioner to work with states that want to develop importation programs.
Major hurdles remain before Florida can actually start importing certain drugs, and it could be a while before the state and its residents see savings. The drug industry is expected to continue its efforts to prevent the importation of drugs, and Canada has opposed the mass importation of its medications.
Florida, which filed its proposal with the FDA in 2020, initially wants to import drugs to treat conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis C and mental illness.
It would make them available to Medicaid recipients, patients at county health departments managed by the state…
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