United States
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U.S. customs rule adds requirements for mailed medicines on October 22
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection rule will suspend the exemption for shipments valued under $800 on October 22, requiring additional data and a bond guarantee for medicines mailed from abroad.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will indefinitely suspend the de minimis exemption on October 22. That exemption previously let shipments valued under $800 pass through customs more easily. Under the rule, medications mailed from outside the United States will need additional shipment data and a bond guarantee.
The change applies to international mail generally, rather than specifically targeting Canadian drugs. For people receiving medicines from Canada, possible consequences include delivery delays, rejected shipments or substantially greater difficulty getting their medications delivered.
More than 70 Democrats sent health and immigration enforcement officials a letter last week seeking a pause. They asked that the rule not proceed without assurances that prescription medicines intended for personal use would still be able to enter the United States.
Florida Reps. Aaron Bean, Gus M. Bilirakis and C. Scott Franklin signed a letter urging Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the rule would not inadvertently affect Floridians seeking relief from high drug prices.
White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said in a statement that Trump remained committed to reducing prescription drug costs. She pointed to his most-favored-nation agreements.