President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 15 that directs a wide range of actions to lower the cost of prescription medications, including the importation of prescription drugs from Canada by the states.
States have been authorized since 2020 to import certain drugs from Canada—where they are often available at a lower price—under section 804 of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. However, approval from the Food and Drug Administration is required, and that process is complex.
Florida is the only state now authorized to import drugs from Canada, and the approval process took more than three years.
Trump’s order instructs the Food and Drug Administration to improve the process and encourages states to apply for authorization to import medications….