Is Florida coming for Canada’s cheap drugs?

In today’s Big Story Podcast, the state recently asked the U.S. FDA for approval to purchase Canadian pharmaceuticals wholesale, and the U.S. regulator said, “sure.” And why not? As many Americans who live near the border know, it can be significantly cheaper to fill prescriptions in Canada. But while we may not mind doing it for a few folks making the trip, supplying a state of 21 million people, when we already have our own drug shortages, is pretty much impossible.

Canada has passed regulations against foreigners buying in bulk, but there are grey areas and loopholes to contend with — not to mention the US-Canada relationship in general to keep in mind. 

Joelle Walker is the Vice President of Public Affairs for the Canadian Pharmacists Association. “People don’t necessarily read the fine print and they’ll think, oh we can go and get drugs from Canada, and they’ll order online and that in itself could cause a shortage when we think about the number of Americans who might be interested in that,” said Walker. 

Florida isn’t the only state that wants to try this gambit, so it will be up to Health Canada to say no, and then enforce that no. So, what happens next?

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