Canada drug lobby urges govt not to wait for drug shortages amid US import plans | 10 August, 2019

Last week, the Trump administration had said it would take steps towards lowering drug prices by allowing import of medicines from Canada. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to propose a rule that will allow it to authorize states and other groups to pursue pilot projects related to importing drugs from Canada.

However, Canada’s main pharmaceutical lobby group — Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) — has urged the government not to wait for drug shortages before responding to America’s plans to import Canadian drugs.

The talking points were prepared last month by IMC for its staff and member companies. The IMC has proposed the Canadian government ban all drug exports “unless otherwise permitted by regulation.”

“Wholesalers should not be permitted to export drugs in bulk from Canada, and there should be strict and significant penalties for exporting drugs where their export is prohibited by law,” IMC has said.

The lobby group’s efforts so far suggest the drug industry is eager to derail the Trump administration’s ‘import drugs from Canada’ plan. The IMC works closely with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the drug industry’s lobbying group in the US.

“Our government’s priority is ensuring that all Canadians can get and afford the medications they need,” Alexander Cohen, a spokesman for Canada’s health minister, said in a statement.

Even if the US plan proceeds as per the Trump administration’s promise, shipments could be a year or more away, because of consultations required to pass new regulations.

Trump’s new healthcare plan: In September, the Trump administration is likely to unveil its healthcare plan as part of his presidential re-election campaign strategy. The plan would lay out an alternative to former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which has been challenged by Republicans in court. Trump’s healthcare plan could include coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and a variety of insurance options.

(Source PharmaCompass)