Drug Importation in New Hampshire: An Overview

map of New Hampshire with a bottle of poisonous Canadian pills

Current status:

New Hampshire submitted an application for its state importation program in April 2021. The FDA rejected the application in November 2022 because it did not identify a Canadian wholesaler that would provide the drugs.

Synopsis:

In January 2020, the New Hampshire legislature introduced SB685, which would require the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to design a wholesale importation program for prescription drugs from Canada by or on behalf of the state and obtain federal approval for the program. In June 2020, SB685 was added to HB1280, which included several other prescription drug initiatives. The bill was signed into law in July 2020.

 

How should we evaluate this program?

The program hasn't started yet, or even been designed, so there's no way to measure whether it saved money or kept patients safe, both promises made at the time of passage. However, the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act contains requirements for safety requirements built into any such program.

Official actions and statements

November 2022: FDA denies the application.

April 2021: New Hampshire submits an SIP application.

HB1280: Text of the Bill

SB685: Text of the Bill | New Hampshire State Senate hearing

Testimony opposing SB685:

Op-eds from the Experts

State Boards of Pharmacy weigh in against importing drugs from Canada

June 21, 2017

Pharmacy boards, which ensure the safety of prescription medicines at the state level, have been sending letters to Congress to expressing significant safety concerns about legislation that would legalize drug importation.

First DHS Secretary: “It is too easy to ship deadly drugs in the mail”

June 21, 2017

The Salt Lake Tribune printed this editorial by Tom Ridge, the 43rd governor of Pennsylvania and first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, on June 10, 2017. Ridge is currently a senior advisor to Americans for Securing All Packages (ASAP).

Health Policy Expert Declares Drug Importation “Unsafe, Unnecessary and Unwise”

June 9, 2017

This editorial was published by the Institute for Policy Innovation on June 5, 2017. Its author, Dr. Merrill Matthews, is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation, a health policy expert and contributor at Forbes.com. He also serves on the Texas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

A Patient Speaks Out: “Drug importation is dangerous.”

May 10, 2017

Ali Schroer wrote this editorial for the Washington Examiner on May 10, 2017.

Like millions of Americans, I take allergy medicine. A few years ago, my doctor urged me to bid farewell to my local pharmacy and instead buy my medication from an online Canadian drug store, where it was cheaper. What terrible advice! The website was counterfeit and sent me “medicine” that was anything but — causing me to get severely sick . . .

Hill Editorial Warns of Health Risks Resulting from Drug Importation Proposals

May 1, 2017

Ronald Piervincenzi, CEO of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention describes the dangerous flaws in any plan to open up U.S. borders to wholesale prescription medication importation from Canada.

Pew Trust Warns Senator Sanders that Drug Import Bill Could Compromise the Safety of the U.S. Drug Supply

March 14, 2017

On Tuesday, February 28, Allan Coukell, Senior Director of Health Programs for the Pew Charitable Trusts, wrote Senator Bernie Sanders to ask that he not undermine safety protections for medication with the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act.

The American Medical Association Opposes Drug Importation

December 13, 2016

In 2016, the American Medical Association reaffirmed its longheld  opposition to drug importation through two policy statements.  The first, “Prescription Drug Importation and Patient Safety D-100.983,” supports only the importation of FDA-approved medicines.  The second, “Federal Regulation and Computerized Tracking of Pharmaceuticals During Shipping and Handling from Manufacture Until Ultimately Received by Patient D-100.985,” promised to actively oppose drug diversion, illegal importation, and drug counterfeiting.

Anesthesiologist and AMA Board Trustee Testifies About the Dangers of Imported Drugs (2004)

May 14, 2004

In May 2004, anesthesiologist and American Medical Association trustee Rebecca J. Patchin, MD spoke before the Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Drug Importation to express concern about the safety and reliability of imported drugs.