Lawmakers Urge Trump to Rethink Imported Meds Rule — SkimNews
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- Congressional lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to rethink a federal rule taking effect next month over concerns it will block Americans from receiving prescriptions from licensed international pharmacies.
- The pending rule requires medicines mailed from abroad to clear customs using a licensed customs broker and post a financial guarantee in the form of an entry bond, adding cost and logistical steps for personal-use importers.
- Current U.S. law already makes it illegal to import most medicines for personal use because those drugs often have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective.
- Americans began importing prescriptions from Canada two decades ago as domestic drug prices climbed, with some taking bus rides across the border to afford their medications, a workaround that continued with relatively little friction until now.
Why it matters: The new rule stacks customs fees and paperwork on top of an already-illegal channel that patients have relied on for 20 years to afford expensive prescriptions, potentially narrowing access to cheaper Canadian and overseas drugs for Americans who pay out of pocket.
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