Florida sues FDA over 'delay' of low-cost drug importations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida sued federal health officials on Wednesday, accusing them of stalling the state's plan to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration at a news conference.

“Florida has been ready to deliver cheaper prescription drugs to those that need them for nearly two years,” DeSantis said. “The lack of transparency by the Biden administration during the approval process, and failure to provide records on the importation proposal, is costing Floridians who are facing rising prices across the board due to inflation."

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry for years has faced complaints over high prices and has been able to successfully lobby against proposals to import drugs at lower costs. Critics have argued importing drugs could lead to risks of counterfeit or ineffective medications that would be difficult for American governments to regulate.

Democratic President Joe Biden has backed such importation programs as a way to lower prices, signing an executive order in 2021 that directed the FDA to work with states on developing proposals to ship drugs to the U.S. under federal law.

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Under President Joe Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act signed into law earlier this month, the federal government is set to gain the power to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors in Medicare. The savings will only apply to a handful of drugs starting in 2026, but it represents a breakthrough in efforts to bring down drug prices. That and other cost-saving measures in the law could reduce demand for less expensive imports from Canada.

Florida's...