Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Keep Your Mitts Off Our Prescription Drugs: Canadians Not Thrilled With Trump's Importation Plans
The Associated Press: Canadians Worried By Plan To Let Americans Import Drugs
A Trump administration plan to let Americans legally import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada is causing concern among Canadians who that fear it could cause shortages of some medications — as well as surprise by officials who say they weren't consulted about a possible influx of U.S. drug-buyers. The plan is a "clear and present danger" to the health and well-being of Canadians who need prescription medications, said John Adams, the volunteer chairman of the Best Medicines Coalition, a non-profit organization representing 28 national patient organizations. (8/1)
The Washington Post: Trump And Sanders Want To Ease Imports Of Drugs From Canada. Canada Says Not So Fast
The response from Canadians? Sorry, but back off. Pharmacists, patient groups, doctors and some lawmakers here worry that the large-scale importation of pharmaceuticals could deplete the drug supply for the country’s 37 million residents. “This is going to exacerbate some of the drug shortages that we’re already seeing in Canada,” said Joelle Walker, the vice president of public affairs for the Canadian Pharmacists Association. “We aren’t equipped to deal with a country that is ten times our size.” (Coletta, 8/1)
Roll Call: HHS Outlines Drug Import Plans As Canada Ratchets Up Concern
Canada’s system “isn’t designed to supply medications to a population size that is considerably bigger than ours,” said Joelle Walker, the vice president of public affairs for the Canadian Pharmacists Association. Ahead of a visit to Canada last weekend by presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., with American patients purchasing insulin, her group and 14 others wrote to the Canadian health ministry expressing those concerns and asking the ministry to intervene if necessary to protect the Canadian drug supply. “We’re allotted a certain amount of their product at a Canadian level and so that could actually be a significant drain on the Canadian supply,” Walker told CQ Roll Call. (Siddons, 8/1)
The Hill: Sanders Pledges To Allow Prescription Drug Imports On First Day In Office
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday pledged to allow the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada on his first day in office. The Democratic presidential candidate's pledge comes one day after President Trump made a more incremental move toward allowing some drug importation. (Sullivan, 8/1)
Stat: Everything You Need To Know About Importing Drugs From Canada
President Trump’s new plan to import cheaper drugs from Canada seems like a no-brainer. But like most things in health care, it’s complicated. The logic is simple enough: Canadians buy the same drugs, made by the same manufacturers, but they get them at a much cheaper cost. So, says Trump, let’s take their drugs. It’s also wildly popular: 80% of Americans said in a recent survey they support importing prescription drugs, making the idea one of the most well-liked drug pricing proposals currently being considered in Washington. (Florko, 7/31)
