Grassley, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Allow Importation of Canadian Drugs

A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate would permit personal importation of drugs from approved Canadian pharmacies.

The Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2019, sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would allow individuals to import drugs from a list of Canadian pharmacies published by HHS. Under the act, HHS would require an approved pharmacy to be at least five years old and exist for a purpose other than participating in the program. It also must have processes in place to certify compliance with all applicable regulations and agree to determine the safety and efficacy of their products in HHS-approved laboratories.

To qualify for certification, pharmacies must not resell products from online pharmacies located outside Canada to U.S. customers, and must meet any other criteria established by the HHS.