(ConservativeJournal.org) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently given Florida permission to import prescription medications from Canada at the beginning of January. This becoming the norm in the US might lead to a shift regarding big pharma’s position regarding the pricing of medicine. Prescription costs in the US were over 250 percent higher than in 32 other nations in 2018, and as of 2021, they were over three times the cost than in Canada.
Despite early indicators hinting at a potential nationwide expansion of drug imports because of Florida being approved to do so, the FDA’s approval is currently limited in scope. The gradual progression of the policy and the anticipated reluctance of US pharmaceutical companies to get rid of their market share show that a transition like this would have to be very slow. Potential challenges may also arise from pressures from the Canadian government and lobbyists. Experts view the FDA’s decision as the first big disruption to the pharmaceutical industry’s unchallenged dominance in the drug prescription market of the US. Jay Patel, a pharmaceutical industry analyst at GlobalData, noted that there is a lot of momentum to have similar permissions for other states but cautioned against expecting it to be a definitive solution.
Under the FDA authorization, Florida can get Canadian prescription drugs for specific illnesses such as diabetes, HIV, and asthma. However, distribution is limited to certain groups, including prisoners, the elderly, and people on Medicaid. To ensure compliance with FDA regulations, Florida’s health administration will test and relabel the imported drugs regularly. The pharmaceutical industry in the US says that this decision poses a risk to patient safety.
The FDA’s authorization for Florida paves the way for other states to seek similar approval for importing Canadian drugs. Eight states, including Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Vermont, Texas, and Wisconsin have passed laws to establish drug importation programs. However, New Hampshire’s proposal has been rejected, and two others are stuck in the application process.
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