FDA approves Colorado imports of low-cost medications from Canada, if they can sell
The Food and Drug Administration this week approved Colorado's plan to import lower-cost prescription medications from Canada, a move touted by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis's administration as a major step to save Coloradans money.
"Now more than ever, we need to call on drug manufacturers to step up to the plate and stop ripping off consumers with inflated drug costs by putting profits over people. Enough is enough," read a statement from Polis.
Colorado began working on the idea of a drug importation program in 2019. The legislature passed a bill allowing Colorado's Department of Health Care Policy & Financing to begin work on the concept, noting the potential of saving Coloradans $46 million over three years. Seven years later, the FDA has given Colorado the go-ahead, but there's still a lot to be done.
"I think the challenge is the healthcare system is so complex, there really is no silver bullet, but this is one lever we believe we can pull that will help folks out here in Colorado," said Tom Leahey, director of Health Care Policy & Financing. "I would say most Coloradans, including myself, you probably know somebody who is struggling to pay for a certain medication, and to your point, they're making a decision. Do I pay for my medications, or do I pay for my food, or my rent?"
Leahey calls the plan "a very creative solution to a problem that affects a lot of people."
But there's also a cautionary note, as further steps are needed for the plan to succeed.
"There's important work ahead to get this done and save people money, but this approval is the vital first step," said Polis's statement.
"Year after year, it seems like we have all these programs that are going to make drug pricing cheaper for this sort of thing, that sort of thing, but it never pans out in that direction," said Kristin Holmes, owner and pharmacist at the independent Capitol Heights Pharmacy.
She often sees people struggle with affordability.
"Take your blood thinners like Eliquis, Xarelto, they are still extremely expensive for patients, and if they're still trying to tick away at their deductible, they might be paying $500-600 a month for something like that," she explained.
But getting Canada to sell medications to Colorado depends on supply. Canada negotiates lower drug prices for all its citizens under its universal health care system. But there are challenges getting Canada to part with medications it needs for its own citizens. Many of the drugs come from the US to Canada. The plan depends on drug companies sending Canada extra at reduced prices, rather than at the prices charged in the US.
"That's certainly a challenge. I'd say the counterpoint is, well, here's an opportunity to expand your market share in this state," said Leahey.
Florida received the same FDA approval in 2024 and built a 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Lakeland to store medications after receiving them from Canada. But as of yet, it sits unused. The idea of buying from Canada, backed by Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, has not worked out so far.
