Vermont becomes first state to permit drug imports from Canada

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott Wednesday signed legislation making his state the first to legalize importing prescription drugs from Canada, an idea President Donald Trump's top health officials oppose that's also drawn fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry.

A spokeswoman for Scott said he signed the bill Wednesday morning. The measure had overwhelming support in the Democratic-controlled legislature and is one of the most aggressive attempts by a state to tackle rising drug prices that critics say are crippling state finances.

Its enactment also puts the Trump administration in a bind after the rollout of a highly anticipated plan for tackling rising drug costs. HHS still has to certify Vermont’s program.

“Trump is trumpeting his desire to do something about high-cost drugs,” said Democratic state Sen. Claire Ayer, one of the bill sponsors. “I’m hoping that they’ll see it as an opportunity for him to say that he’s done something about high drug prices.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/16/vermont-drug-imports-canada-546107

[quartz007]

1. Congrats Vermont!

Now let the other 49 states follow this move to save people some money.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread brooklynite

[lordsummerisle]

3. K&R n/t

[enid602]

4. Novartis

I'm sure Novartis will have something to say about this.

[3Hotdogs]

9. -- you mean Cohen, don't you?

[enid602]

22. Novartis

No Novartis paid Cohen $1.2mm, assumably to keep things like this from happening.

[OnlinePoker]

5. As a Canadian, I say this is bullshit

We already have shortages of many common drugs in Canada (Epipen, for instance) and this will just allow the drug companies here to sell to the highest bidder, leaving insufficient amounts for Canadians who already struggle with high drug costs.

[TrogL]

10. They run out of mine too

The pharmacy tracks them so it’s difficult to stockpile.

[eggplant]

11. Highest bidder?

The prices are controlled by the Canadian government. That's the whole point.

[NickB79]

18. Would Vermont residents get Canadian prices?

Or would there be a mark-up along the way?

[OnlinePoker]

21. Except prices aren't controlled very well.

Canadians currently pay the second highest price for drugs in the OECD. There's nothing saying that drugs being exported have to be priced at the same rate as that charged to Canadians so the drug companies will decide it's better to send them south of the border and make a killing. If you've got 45 minutes, here is a good video from CBC's Fifth Estate about how we're getting gouged here compared to other countries (except the U.S.).

http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/2016-2017/the-high-cost-of-phamaceuticals-canadas-drug-problem

[ehrnst]

16. Not to mention the Canadian government doesn't inspect drugs that are not going to

be prescribed to Canadians.

They don't have the resources.

A guy selling capsules full of sand, or worse, online out of his garage in rural Ontario isn't going to get caught very quickly.

[Izzy Blue]

19. This Vermont bill will need Fed HHS certification

So it's highly doubtful it will be implemented .

[stuffmatters]

6. Gotta be the most popular bill any state could pass. Let's go, Americans!

Can't imagine any voter of any party not voting for reimportation of drugs from foreign countries where they are a fraction of our costs.

[Mountain Mule]

7. K&R! nt

[luc mont]

8. Republican Gov. Phil Scott?

Okay, I really have to stop drinking!

[Izzy Blue]

17. That was funny! Look what else he signed.

Gun control

"Gov. Phil Scott signed historic gun restrictions into law on the Statehouse steps in April. His endorsement of the new limits on gun purchases and use was an about-face that irked his Republican base. Supporters of the governor denounced him as a traitor, while moderate members of the GOP and many Democrats lauded him as a courageous leader.

In the wake of news about an alleged planned shooting at Fair Haven Union High School in February, Scott worked with the Democratically controlled Legislature to impose restrictions on guns. Act 94 expands background checks in private sales, raises the purchase age to 21, limits magazine sales and bans bump stocks. Act 92 enables law enforcement officials to remove weapons from people arrested or cited on domestic violence offenses.

Prior to the enactment of these new statutes, Vermont had among the most liberal gun laws in the nation.

[erronis]

12. The pharma bros/sistas in the repuglicon party have started their programmed moaning

https://vtdigger.org/2018/05/16/vermonters-health-care-freedom-statement-drug-import-plan/

Normal whining about how Canadian (or unAmerican) drugs can't be trusted.
And how much this will cut into the R&D funds of "American" pharma.

I think the R. governor only allowed it to pass because he knows that his buddies in the feds won't permit it. Makes good karaoke.

[truthisfreedom]

13. Alright! First olive's out of the jar!

[Sneederbunk]

14. Come on Washngton, Oregon and California, join to follow suit.

[James48]

15. That will be interesting

Almost all of the Supreme Court cases dealing with the Commerce Clause only deal with the outlawing of something.

I don’t know if there is a ruling on whether a state can legalize something.

I wish them the best- I’m sure the lawyers and courts will weigh in on this one!

[pamdb]

20. canadian drugs

We've been ordering drugs from Canada via mail for quite awhile now. I got the impression no one really cared.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

23. Maine tried to do this a few years ago and the law was struck down by a federal judge

https://blogs.wsj.com/pharmalot/2015/02/25/judge-strikes-down-maine-law-for-importing-prescription-medicines/

How are they the first to do this then?

Fyi, the ruling was the FDA had authority for importing the drugs and not the state of Maine. I'm wondering if Vermont is going to have this law challenged like the Maine one.