New customs requirements taking effect Oct. 22 could disrupt access for millions of Americans who buy prescription drugs from Canadian and other foreign mail-order pharmacies, according to a Sept. 24 report from The Wall Street Journal.
Here are three things to know:
- Starting Oct. 22, medications mailed from abroad that are subject to another federal agency’s requirements will generally need to go through a formal customs entry process. The deadline comes from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s June 24 interim final rule, which sets Oct. 22 as the compliance date for mail shipments subject to another government agency’s requirements. CBP is also launching an alternative electronic entry pathway, called Entry Type 13, for certain eligible mail shipments.
- About 2.3 million U.S. adults taking prescription medications bought them from outside the country to save money, according to a 2020 JAMA Network Open study. The study analyzed survey data collected from 2015 through 2017.
- Patient advocacy groups say the change could lead some patients to ration or skip medications. Eliquis, a commonly imported blood thinner, can cost roughly half as much through Canadian pharmacies as through U.S. retail channels, according to The Wall Street Journal.
