Prices on drugs from Canada are about to go up

Decades ago, I used to hear about people who would go to Canada, have a great weekend, buy their medications and then come back across the border saving anywhere from 40 to 50% off the cost of the meds that they would normally buy in the states. OK, technically they were smuggling drugs. But nobody was paying attention. When it had to do with prescription drugs, For the most part the Border Patrol just looked the other way. 

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Then it became legal. 

It was all done under the table, but everybody did it and there were very few repercussions.  

Then in 1990. The USDA allowed a limited number of meds to be imported from Canada by individuals. 

In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order telling the FDA to work with states and allow them to import Canadian drugs. 

In 2024, Florida became the 1st state to get approval from the FDA to import certain drugs from Canada benefiting Medicaid and other public programs. 

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Of course, now, because of the Internet, we don't need to go to Canada to make our purchases. We can order them online; they will be delivered in a timely manner. But that is about to change. Oh, don't get me wrong, you can still order them and have them delivered from Canada. But that 40 to 50% savings may be going away. 

What is changing? 

Before the end of October, a new series of tariffs and rules between the US and Canada will kick in that will cause Canadian drugs and medications to increase dramatically in price. 

According to seattletimes.com,
‘The rule applies to a swath of goods beyond drugs and is intended to collect tariffs and prevent illegal drugs from coming into the U.S. It comes as President Donald Trump has made lowering drug prices a top target in addressing soaring healthcare costs, and critics say the rule will hurt patients seeking affordable medicine.’ 

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The new rules go into effect on October 22nd, with one rule in particular, the de minimis exemption, no longer applying. That rule applied to any shipments coming across the border that were valued at under $800, to pass through customs more easily with a minimum of muss and fuss. When the new rules kick in, any medications being mailed across the border will require additional data and a bond guarantee. 

The rule technically does not specify drugs and medications but it applies to international mail in general. In practice, though, there will be delays, possibly refusals, and in general it will be just more difficult to deliver medications from Canada. 

Here's an example. 

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A study done in August of this year looked at the 10 most commonly prescribed drugs imported from Canada that would be impacted. Eliquis. (A medication that I take) would cost $565 for a three-month supply from a Canadian mail order pharmacy. Getting that same medication and dosage from Amazon's pharmacy would cost about $1017, or $1029 dollars from Goodrx. 

I can't afford that kind of price increase. I don't think you can afford it either.