President Donald Trump has asked HHS Secretary Alex Azar to help Florida set up and quickly approve its program to import prescription drugs from Canada, according to Politico.
In April, the Florida legislature passed a bill to create a prescription drug importation program that would help bring lower-cost medications to programs like Medicare and Medicaid in the state. The importation program would need federal approval before it could be implemented.
During a 45-minute meeting in the Oval Office, President Trump "asked Secretary Azar and Gov. DeSantis to work together to explore additional [healthcare] options, including drug importation opportunities, to reduce drug prices in a safe way for Floridians," according to a White House pool report released May 6.
"[President Trump] said for the governor to be prompt in production of the plan, and for the secretary to be prompt in review of the plan," a representative from Florida told Politico.
Federal approval for a drug importation plan would be unprecedented. So far, Vermont is the only other state to pass a law to create one, and the federal government has not granted approval, according to The Miami Herald.