The Food and Drug Administration has decided to allow Florida to import millions of dollars worth of medications from Canada at far lower prices than in the United States, overriding fierce decades-long objections from the pharmaceutical industry, according to a senior administration official.
The approval is a major policy shift for the United States, and supporters hope it will be a significant step forward in the long and largely unsuccessful effort to reign in drug prices. Individuals in the United States are allowed to buy directly from Canadian pharmacies, but states have long wanted to be able to purchase medicines in bulk for their Medicaid programs, government clinics and prisons from Canadian wholesalers.
Florida has estimated that it could save up to $150 million in its first year of the program, importing medicines that treat H.I.V., AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis C and psychiatric conditions. Other states have applied to the F.D.A. to set up similar programs.
That’s not obvious, it could even go in the other direction. The value of a single payer system is that the country or state or w/e can negotiate a price for their whole population, and if they don’t like the price you are offering, switch to some other option. If Canada is now effectively negotiating for both Canada and Florida, it could just have more leverage in the negotiations.
I genuinely hope it works out that way. I also know our government is super corrupt and big Pharma has a lot of power. Love to see it go the way that helps people the most, not the corporations but we shall see.