FDA Approves Colorado's Plan to Import Drugs from
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- FDA said Monday it will allow Colorado to import certain prescription drugs from Canada, making it the second U.S. state granted such authorization.
- The first Trump administration officially endorsed the practice in 2020 by publishing a regulation allowing states and Indian tribes to propose import plans, and the Biden administration affirmed the rule with an executive order in 2021.
- Florida became the first state to earn FDA approval for drug importation in 2024, but has yet to actually import any drugs from Canada.
- Pushback from the Canadian pharmaceutical industry and concerns about affecting Canada's drug supply have stalled Florida's program; the FDA extended Florida's approval by six months in May to give the state more time to get it running.
- Colorado becomes only the second state approved for the program despite bipartisan support across states, and more than 25 years of Americans seeking cheaper drugs from Canada.
Why it matters: Colorado residents stand to gain access to lower-cost Canadian drugs, but the program's real-world record is sobering: Florida won FDA approval in 2024 and has yet to import a single drug. The persistent gap between regulatory authorization and actual importation — stalled by Canadian industry pushback and supply concerns — means Colorado's approval is a procedural milestone more than an immediate price-relief event for consumers.
