President Donald Trump tweeted Nov. 22 that he will "soon" release a plan to allow the U.S. to import prescription drugs from other countries.
"[HHS Secretary Alex Azar] and I will soon release a plan to let Florida and other states import prescription drugs that are MUCH CHEAPER than what we have now! Hard-working Americans don't deserve to pay such high prices for the drugs they need. We are fighting DAILY to make sure this HAPPENS," the president tweeted.
He did not offer any specific details on when the plan would be released or what exactly it would entail.
"While we had the first prescription drug price decrease in 50 years, Americans still pay far too much for drugs — other countries pay far less — that is WRONG! We will soon be putting more options on the table," President Trump continued.
A final rule that would allow drug importation from Canada has been under regulator review since Nov. 1, according to The Hill. The rule would allow pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs from Canada if they meet certain conditions designed to ensure importation poses no safety risk and will save money.
Drugs are cheaper in Canada because the government can negotiate prices with drug companies.
The rule would apply to states that have passed laws allowing importation, including Vermont, Florida, Colorado and Maine. However, states would still have to overcome massive lobbying efforts by the drug industry. Almost every piece of legislation to lower drug prices has been blocked in court or withdrawn after facing opposition.
President Trump has made lowering drug prices a priority and if the plan is successful, he could cite it as a major policy issue in key battleground states in the 2020 presidential election, according to The Hill.
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