Vermont becomes first state to permit drug imports from Canada
Source: Politico
Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott Wednesday signed legislation making his state the first to legalize importing prescription drugs from Canada, an idea President Donald Trump's top health officials oppose that's also drawn fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry.
A spokeswoman for Scott said he signed the bill Wednesday morning. The measure had overwhelming support in the Democratic-controlled legislature and is one of the most aggressive attempts by a state to tackle rising drug prices that critics say are crippling state finances.
Its enactment also puts the Trump administration in a bind after the rollout of a highly anticipated plan for tackling rising drug costs. HHS still has to certify Vermonts program.
Trump is trumpeting his desire to do something about high-cost drugs, said Democratic state Sen. Claire Ayer, one of the bill sponsors. Im hoping that theyll see it as an opportunity for him to say that hes done something about high drug prices.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/16/vermont-drug-imports-canada-546107
quartz007
(1,216 posts)Now let the other 49 states follow this move to save people some money.
Uncle Joe
(58,359 posts)Thanks for the thread brooklynite
lordsummerisle
(4,651 posts)enid602
(8,616 posts)I'm sure Novartis will have something to say about this.
3Hotdogs
(12,375 posts)No Novartis paid Cohen $1.2mm, assumably to keep things like this from happening.
OnlinePoker
(5,719 posts)We already have shortages of many common drugs in Canada (Epipen, for instance) and this will just allow the drug companies here to sell to the highest bidder, leaving insufficient amounts for Canadians who already struggle with high drug costs.
TrogL
(32,822 posts)The pharmacy tracks them so its difficult to stockpile.
eggplant
(3,911 posts)The prices are controlled by the Canadian government. That's the whole point.
NickB79
(19,236 posts)Or would there be a mark-up along the way?
OnlinePoker
(5,719 posts)Canadians currently pay the second highest price for drugs in the OECD. There's nothing saying that drugs being exported have to be priced at the same rate as that charged to Canadians so the drug companies will decide it's better to send them south of the border and make a killing. If you've got 45 minutes, here is a good video from CBC's Fifth Estate about how we're getting gouged here compared to other countries (except the U.S.).
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/2016-2017/the-high-cost-of-phamaceuticals-canadas-drug-problem
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)be prescribed to Canadians.
They don't have the resources.
A guy selling capsules full of sand, or worse, online out of his garage in rural Ontario isn't going to get caught very quickly.
Izzy Blue
(282 posts)So it's highly doubtful it will be implemented .
stuffmatters
(2,574 posts)Can't imagine any voter of any party not voting for reimportation of drugs from foreign countries where they are a fraction of our costs.
Mountain Mule
(1,002 posts)luc mont
(70 posts)Okay, I really have to stop drinking!
Izzy Blue
(282 posts)"Gov. Phil Scott signed historic gun restrictions into law on the Statehouse steps in April. His endorsement of the new limits on gun purchases and use was an about-face that irked his Republican base. Supporters of the governor denounced him as a traitor, while moderate members of the GOP and many Democrats lauded him as a courageous leader.
In the wake of news about an alleged planned shooting at Fair Haven Union High School in February, Scott worked with the Democratically controlled Legislature to impose restrictions on guns. Act 94 expands background checks in private sales, raises the purchase age to 21, limits magazine sales and bans bump stocks. Act 92 enables law enforcement officials to remove weapons from people arrested or cited on domestic violence offenses.
Prior to the enactment of these new statutes, Vermont had among the most liberal gun laws in the nation.
erronis
(15,241 posts)Normal whining about how Canadian (or unAmerican) drugs can't be trusted.
And how much this will cut into the R&D funds of "American" pharma.
I think the R. governor only allowed it to pass because he knows that his buddies in the feds won't permit it. Makes good karaoke.
truthisfreedom
(23,146 posts)Sneederbunk
(14,290 posts)James48
(4,436 posts)Almost all of the Supreme Court cases dealing with the Commerce Clause only deal with the outlawing of something.
I dont know if there is a ruling on whether a state can legalize something.
I wish them the best- Im sure the lawyers and courts will weigh in on this one!
pamdb
(1,332 posts)We've been ordering drugs from Canada via mail for quite awhile now. I got the impression no one really cared.
Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)https://blogs.wsj.com/pharmalot/2015/02/25/judge-strikes-down-maine-law-for-importing-prescription-medicines/
How are they the first to do this then?
Fyi, the ruling was the FDA had authority for importing the drugs and not the state of Maine. I'm wondering if Vermont is going to have this law challenged like the Maine one.