Health Minister Mark Holland said Florida’s plan to import cheaper medicines from Canada is not a start and that the federal government will use its regulatory powers to ensure that foreign action does not cause shortages in domestic drug supplies. Ta.
“We cannot allow anyone, whether a province or another foreign jurisdiction, to jeopardize Canada’s medical supplies. That is not an adequate solution to all the challenges they face,” Holland said. He said this in an official announcement at Nova. Scotia has a bilateral health care agreement with the province.
“We will do everything in our power to ensure that other countries are not given the ability to plunder our health care system for their own benefit.”
Holland said he will soon be visiting Washington, D.C., to remind local officials that Canada cannot stand idly by in the case of Florida and Florida. Other states in the US Pursuing bulk imports that in some way threaten Canadians’ access to medicines.
He said it would be “inappropriate” for U.S. politicians to expect Canada to improve its expensive health care system, where high drug prices are the norm.
Holland’s comments came after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Florida’s program was approved last week. Importing certain prescription drugs from Canada at low cost.
Limits on negotiating prescription drug prices in the United States have led politicians south of the border to argue that their health systems should buy more drugs from Canada.
a 2021 Report by Rand Corporation Because Ottawa limits the amount drug companies can charge for drugs, Canadian prices are found to be just 46% of U.S. prices. The United States lets the free market determine drug prices.
Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is running for his party’s presidential nomination, has long championed the idea.
He praised the FDA’s decision as an opportunity for Florida to “import lifesaving prescription drugs at low cost.”DeSantis said the program would save Florida taxpayers. $180 million The first year of operation.
The state has said it initially wants to import drugs to treat HIV, mental illness and prostate cancer.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the state of Florida permission to buy cheaper prescription drugs wholesale from Canada, reigniting concerns about drug shortages in the country.
Although Florida has received permission from U.S. regulators, it is not yet clear whether Florida will be able to obtain significant quantities of the drug from Canada.
Holland said Canada has a large pharmaceutical industry that manufactures many drugs for sale overseas, and those exports will continue.
But Canada is grappling with its own serious supply problems.
a national database Canada is facing shortages of dozens of medicines, including popular drugs such as diazepam, sold under the brand name Valium and used to treat anxiety, and opioids such as hydromorphone.
“Obviously, the United States has challenges with the supply of medicines and their costs. We will never allow the United States to use Canada as a solution to that problem.” “We will do our best to prevent stockouts.”
Holland said Canada will not hesitate to use its regulatory powers, first introduced in 2020, to limit large exports that could worsen drug shortages.
These regulations were introduced amid publicity from then-U.S. President Donald Trump. drug program from canadaprohibits the distribution outside of Canada of certain medicines that cause or exacerbate shortages.
