FDA Approves Colorado's Plan to Import Cheaper Prescription Drugs from Canada

The FDA has approved Colorado's plan to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, making it the second state to receive such authorization. The approval, announced June 15, 2026, follows a 2020 federal rule. However, implementation is challenging; Florida, the first state approved in 2024, has yet to import any drugs amid pushback from the Canadian pharmaceutical industry over supply concerns.

Colorado drug importation approval

• ▪The Food and Drug Administration announced on June 15, 2026, that it will allow Colorado to import certain prescription drugs from Canada.
• ▪Colorado is the second U.S. state to be granted authorization for a drug importation plan from Canada.
• ▪The goal of Colorado's drug importation plan is to lower prescription drug prices for its residents.

Federal policy evolution

• ▪The Biden administration affirmed the 2020 drug importation rule with an executive order in 2021.
• ▪For over 25 years, Americans have sought to acquire drugs from Canada to get relief from rising medicine costs.
• ▪In 2020, the Trump administration published a regulation allowing states and Indian tribes to propose drug import plans.

Florida implementation challenges

• ▪In May, the FDA extended Florida's approval by six months to provide more time to start its program.
• ▪Florida became the first state to receive FDA approval for a drug importation plan in 2024.
• ▪State drug importation programs have proven extremely difficult to implement, even with bipartisan support.
• ▪Despite receiving approval, Florida has not yet imported any drugs from Canada.

Canadian industry pushback

• ▪Florida's importation program has faced pushback from the Canadian pharmaceutical industry.
• ▪Concerns have been raised that state importation programs will negatively affect Canada's drug supply.

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