Trump Signs Order To Help States Import Low-Cost Medications

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 15 to lower the cost of prescription medications, including through the importation of prescription drugs from Canada by the states. States have been authorized to import certain drugs from Canada since 2020, but the approval process is complex and only Florida has been authorized so far. Trump's order instructs the FDA to improve the process and encourages states to apply for authorization to import medications. An analysis found that per-capita spending on prescriptions is 42% higher in the US than in Canada. The executive order aims to lower prices through several actions, including revisiting the Medicare drug negotiation program, making Medicare's payment for prescription drugs commensurate with the supplier's cost, and ensuring that Medicare pays a comparable price for prescription drugs regardless of where they are dispensed. The order also directs Dr. Mehmet Oz to further reduce the price of insulin, which could be available for as little as 3 cents per vial for low-income and uninsured patients. Other provisions aim to improve the drug development and approval process, including streamlining the approval process for generic and biosimilar medications and addressing the imbalance in the emphasis placed on the development of highly expensive drugs. The order also cracks down on the practices of some brokers in the prescription drug supply chain by directing the Department of Labor to set rules concerning the disclosure of broker fees for prescription drugs. Overall, the executive order aims to make prescription medications more affordable for Americans.