Delaware Legislative Group Says Importation only "seems good until one understands the details.”
In January, the Delaware’s Interagency Pharmaceuticals Purchasing Study Group submitted a report to its House of Representatives which examined ways to lower the cost of pharmaceuticals for Delaware residents. The group, which was comprised of Delaware state senators and representatives as well as government stakeholders in public health, veterans affairs, insurance, youth and family services, and budget management, and other disciplines, concluded that importation was not a viable strategy to lower prescription drug prices.
The report cites safety and economic concerns, noting
...there is no guarantee of what is called “chain of custody,” which ensures that what is purchased is indeed ultimately delivered. One of the significant responsibilities of the FDA is patient safety, and the previous FDA commissioner raised concerns about counterfeit products. In fact, in March of 2019, the FDA announced that a Canadian drug distributor - CanaRx - was selling unapproved and mislabeled medicines to unsuspecting Americans looking to save money on prescriptions. Finally, Canadian officials have warned the U.S. government that importation programs could jeopardize their own supply of drugs, leading to potential shortages. Drug companies have also said that importation programs could result in higher prices for those countries that participate. The Study Group did not believe that this would be effective.