A federal rule set to take effect Oct. 22 will require medicines mailed from abroad to clear customs with a licensed customs broker and a financial guarantee known as an entry bond. Lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to rethink the rule, saying the added burden and cost could prevent Americans from using licensed international pharmacies to save money on prescription drugs.
The rule arrives amid long-standing frustration over high U.S. drug prices, which has pushed some patients to seek medications from Canada and other countries. That practice dates back more than two decades, including bus trips to Canada that began as prices rose. However, current law generally makes it illegal to import a medicine into the U.S. for personal use because most foreign drugs have not been approved by the FDA as safe and effective.
The source article reports that a growing number of congressional lawmakers are pressing the administration to reconsider the rule, which is scheduled to take effect Oct. 22. No alternative proposal or timeline for a delay is mentioned in the report.