LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — New federal regulations set to take effect later this month could significantly impact Americans who rely on prescription medications shipped from Canada and other countries.
For years, some U.S. consumers have turned to Canadian mail-order pharmacies as a way to save money on medications that can cost hundreds of dollars more in the United States. Now, new U.S. Customs requirements scheduled to take effect on Oct. 22 have left some patients and pharmacy operators concerned about what comes next.
Metro Detroit resident Chris Devries says purchasing medication from Canada has been essential to managing her healthcare costs.
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Devries relies on a generic version of Eliquis, a blood thinner, and says she has been ordering it from a Canadian pharmacy for more than a decade.
“I’ve been getting it from Canada for over 10 years, because I couldn’t afford it when they prescribed it to me because I have a heart condition,” Devries said.She says the price difference remains substantial.
“Today if I tried to get it from the U.S. it would cost between $600-$800 every three months. In Canada I pay $222,” she said.Devries worries the upcoming changes could make it harder or impossible for her to continue receiving the medication through the mail.
Pharmacy operators are also preparing for the impact.
Rudy Najm, owner of iPharmacy in Livonia, says he expects an increase in calls from patients looking for alternatives if international shipments are halted.
“We probably anticipate more calls to try and get alternatives for those prescriptions,” Najm said.Najm says lower-cost medications from overseas can be an important option for some patients, adding that certain drugs are not always available domestically.
“Also, sometimes the drugs are not available here in the U.S.,” he said.U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, says she is concerned the policy could create additional financial burdens for patients already struggling with high prescription costs.
“I think people aren’t going to be able to afford medicine they need, and we have to figure out how to help them. For some people this is life and death,” Dingell said.Meanwhile, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) says it is hearing concerns from customers and urges patients who depend on cross-border prescriptions to prepare ahead of the new requirements.
“It’s stressful across the board. Of course we hear the stress at the pharmacy level every day from customers contacting us to express concern and worry about whether they are going to be able to continue with us,” said Tim Smith, CIPA’s general manager.Najm says he is particularly concerned about older adults who may face challenges if they are forced to seek other ways to obtain their medications, especially those who cannot easily travel to pick up prescriptions.
As Americans continue to wait for promised efforts to lower prescription drug costs domestically, patients who depend on Canadian pharmacies are watching closely to see how the new regulations will affect access to their medications.
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