Canada wasn’t consulted about U.S. plan to import our drugs
OTTAWA — Federal officials say Ottawa was not consulted in advance about a surprise Trump administration proposal to allow American patients and consumers to legally import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.
The proposal was announced Wednesday and prompted many defenders of Canada’s drug supply to sound the alarm.
One critic called it a “clear and present danger” to the health and well-being of Canadians who need prescription medications.
John Adams, the volunteer chair of the Best Medicines Coalition, warned the existing supply of drugs in Canada is not always sufficient to meet the current needs of Canadians, let alone a sudden surge in demand from south of the border.
Adams said Parliament ought to be recalled before the October election in order to establish a mechanism to ensure Canadians have ample access to the medications they need.
“We may not have all the necessary tools in place,” Adams said.
The office of Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said details of the surprise announcement by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar were not discussed beforehand.
“While we’re aware of ongoing state-led initiatives to import Canadian drugs, we weren’t consulted on specifics,” the office said in a statement.
Azar, a former drug industry executive, said U.S. patients will be able to import medications with oversight from the Food and Drug Administration.
“This is really serious,” said Adams of the Best Medicines Coalition, a non-profit organization representing 28 national patient organizations.
He added, “Let’s call Parliament back to a special session before the election to create the legal tools to protect the supply of patented medicines for Canadians and their health needs.”
Petitpas Taylor’s office framed the U.S. proposal as evidence of Canada’s commitment to more affordable prescription drugs.
Ottawa is constantly monitoring the Canadian drug supply and will work closely with health experts to better understand the implications for Canadians and avoid any adverse effects on supply or prices, it said.
The American proposal would allow states, wholesalers and pharmacists to get FDA approval to import certain medications that are also available in the U.S., although few other details were released.
However it will work, the Trump administration is clearly keen to allow American patients to access Canadian drugs, the Canadian Pharmacists Association warned. It called on the federal government to curb drug exports.
The Canadian medicine supply is not equipped to support both Canadian and U.S. consumers, it said, warning of worsening drug shortages in Canada and disrupted access to medications.
All that interest has a number of advocates urging Petitpas Taylor to take action.
“Hospital and community pharmacies in Canada are resourced to serve the Canadian public,” a group of health organizations wrote to the minister last week.
“They are not equipped to support to the needs of a country 10 times its size without creating important access or quality issues.”