Trump Administration To Allow Americans To Access Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs From Canada
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There's a potential new way for more Americans to get lower cost prescription drugs. President Trump's administration is clearing the way to import low-cost prescription drugs from Canada, but experts say it's still a long road before consumers start getting relief.
Skyrocketing drug prices are impacting millions of Americans.
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"The drugs cost more than my car payment, more than my business insurance, more than my food bill each month," Ashley Krege said.
Drug costs have become a big concern on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail.
"How can that be in the United States of America that I am paying so much for insulin," one woman said.
Now the Trump Administration says it is open to having low-cost prescription drugs come into the United States from Canada.
"We think there's a real opportunity here where they can manage bringing drugs into the U.S. from Canada in a way that does preserve the safety of the American system," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said
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Azar announced states, wholesalers and pharmacies can now submit plans on how they would import certain drugs from Canada that are versions of the Food and Drug Administration's approved drugs.
"For decades, the response at FDA and HHS has been it can't be done. Don't send us your plans. Now we're saying we think it can be done," Azar said.
Cancer patient David Mitchell is the founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs.
"This is a step toward using importance to provide relief for some people who are struggling with their drug prices, but it is not a solution that will help all of us because it is limited in its scope," he said.
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The head of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America issued a statement calling the administration's importation scheme "far too dangerous for American patients."
They added there is no way to guarantee the safety of the drugs that come in from outside the United States.
Certain classes of drugs, including intravenous drugs, are excluded from this program, the plan has to go through the regulatory process and could face court challenges from drug makers.