States Ask Biden to Greenlight Plans to Import Drugs from Canada

Four US states so far have asked the federal government for permission to import medication from Canada to combat high drug prices. The decision to begin allowing the importation of medication was made in the Trump era, with Biden administration members signaling the current president is on board. While Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, says that applications are open, he’s yet to make any promises on when they would be reviewed.

According to Phil Galewitz, “In August, almost two years after submitting its drug proposal, Florida sued the federal government, accusing the Biden administration of slow-walking its review. The federal government denied the accusation. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential contender for 2024, has championed the state’s effort. In November, about three months after Florida sued, the FDA sent Florida a 15-page letter asking it to fill dozens of gaps in its plan. The letter asked whether the state wanted to withdraw its application and submit another.”

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(Source: KHN, December 14^th, 2022)