WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Florida's request to import prescription drugs from Canada to curb drug prices in the state.
The FDA authorized Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration's drug importation program under section 804 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). This is the first step on this pathway toward Florida facilitating the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada.
'The FDA is committed to working with states and Indian tribes that seek to develop successful section 804 importation proposals,' said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. 'These proposals must demonstrate the programs would result in significant cost savings to consumers without adding risk of exposure to unsafe or ineffective drugs.'
The drug importation program approval will lower the cost of medicines for US consumers without imposing additional risks to their health or safety. Medicines in Canada can be nearly half the price of their US counterparts and some drugs cost almost $400 a pill in Florida. The FDA's decision could open the door for other states to follow suit.
Meanwhile, US pharmaceutical companies have previously opposed the program citing safety concerns.
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