Proposed bill allowing importation of drugs from Canada would save $6.8 billion over 10 years

A bill introduced in Congress early this year that would allow Americans to import medications from Canada would save the federal government $6.8 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill is a response to growing drug costs. A recent study found that U.S. drug prices average higher than other countries including Canada. Lowering drug costs is now a top priority for the majority of Americans of all parties. Drug companies and others have raised concerns about the safety of imported drugs. According to the FDA, almost 40 percent of drugs Americans take are manufactured in other countries and 80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients for drugs manufactured in the United States are imported from other countries.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash