The Latest: US plan to allow prescription drugs from Canada

WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s plan to lower prescription drug prices (all times local):

8:27 a.m.

The Trump administration says it will set up a system allowing Americans to legally access lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar made the announcement Wednesday morning.

Azar, a former drug industry executive, says U.S. patients will be able to import medications safely and effectively, with oversight from the Food and Drug Administration. States, drug wholesalers and pharmacists would act as intermediaries for consumers.

The administration’s move comes as the industry is facing a litany of consumer complaints over drug prices, as well as legislation from both parties in Congress to rein in costs. President Donald Trump is supporting a Senate bill to cap medication costs for Medicare recipients.

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12:05 a.m.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says he and President Donald Trump are working on a plan to allow Americans to import lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada.

Azar made the comments Tuesday in an interview with CNBC.

As a candidate, Trump called for allowing Americans to import prescription drugs from abroad, and recently he’s backed a Florida law allowing state residents to gain access to medications from Canada.

Azar told CNBC he had just gotten off the phone with the president and they were discussing a plan that would allow Americans to safely and effectively import prescriptions from Canada.

Azar didn’t elaborate, but HHS says both are very open to the importation of prescription drugs as long as it can be done safely and can deliver results for patients.

The Associated Press

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