It looks like just a rule change under current law so no Senate involvement. Here are the details. The Action Plan outlines the government’s intention to pursue two pathways to allow safe drug importation from foreign markets: Through a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), HHS and FDA would propose to rely on the authority under current federal law (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FD&C Act”) Section 804) that would, when the rule is finalized, authorize pilot (or demonstration) projects developed by states, wholesalers or pharmacists and submitted for HHS review, outlining how they would import certain drugs from Canada that are versions of FDA-approved drugs that are manufactured consistent with the FDA approval. The NPRM would include conditions to ensure the importation poses no additional risk to the public’s health and safety and that the demonstration projects would achieve significant cost savings to the American consumer. Through guidance, FDA would provide recommendations to manufacturers of FDA-approved drugs who seek to import into the U.S. versions of those drugs they sell in foreign countries. Under this pathway, manufacturers would use a new National Drug Code (NDC) for those products, potentially allowing them to offer a lower price than what their current distribution contracts require. To use this pathway, the manufacturer or entity authorized by the manufacturer would establish with the FDA that the foreign version is the same as the U.S. version and appropriately label the drug for sale in the U.S. This pathway could be particularly helpful to patients with significantly high cost prescription drugs. This would potentially include medications like insulin used to treat diabetes, as well as those used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer.
So wait, the one plan our "Buy American, Trade War" president comes up with is importing drugs from overseas? My plan is to take the closed down factories of Detroit and convert them to manufacture every generic drug people need and distribute them free to Medicare and Medicaid recipient and sell them at cost to whomever needs them. I'll use economies of scale and price competition to "Make America Great Again"
Thanks for the info, let's see how it all works out. Maybe Trump will do something good for a change.
The party of death now wants to destroy Medicare by having them reimburse at insurance rates. Good job Trump, dismantling things that work since 2017.
