DeSantis signs bill to let Americans buy prescription medications abroad

Florida residents will now be able to buy prescription drugs outside of the country thanks to a bill that Governor Ron DeSantis has officially signed into law. The action is anticipated to drastically lower Florida residents’ prescription drug costs.

Senator Jason Brodeur, R-Lake Mary, is the author of Senate Bill 1550, popularly known as the “Prescription Drug Reform Act,” which forbids some behaviors linked to the Florida Drug and Cosmetic Act. It permits the purchase of prescription medications from Canada and other nations. This policy was approved by the Trump administration in 2003 but was delayed owing to safety concerns by the Biden administration and the US Food and Drug Administration.

According to Governor DeSantis, the safety issues are merely an attempt to shield pharmaceutical firms from competition and cut into their profits. The new law also aims to combat intermediaries like Pharmacy Benefit Managers who are responsible for the high cost of prescription pharmaceuticals. DeSantis thinks that by earning enormous profits, these intermediaries are raising prices for consumers.

The bill also intends to promote transparency in the healthcare system by tracking prescription drug prices and disclosing any large price increases in advance. The law also eliminates “steering,” a practice that mandates that PBM-controlled pharmacies be used in order to obtain medications from mail-order pharmacies.

For a number of reasons, including giving access to more affordable prescriptions for people who might not be able to afford them in their native country and boosting competition in the pharmaceutical business, allowing consumers to purchase prescription drugs internationally can be a terrific idea. However, it’s crucial to make sure that any purchases made from abroad are secure and compliant, and that the efficacy and legitimacy of the drugs can be independently confirmed.

The law, according to Governor DeSantis, will assist community pharmacies who are struggling to stay in business as a result of intermediaries like PBMs’ business tactics. With this change, Florida becomes one of the first US states to permit the purchase of prescription medications from abroad.

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