What We’re Reading: Canadian Drug Imports; Drug-by-Mail Delivery; Hydroxychloroquine-Related Deaths

FDA to Issue First Approval for Mass Drug Imports From Canada

The FDA announced it is allowing Florida to import medications in bulk from Canada at far lower prices than those offered in the United States, according to the New York Times. Florida estimated that it could save up to $150 million in its first year of the program, which would import drugs for treating HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, diabetes, and psychiatric conditions. This approval represents a major US policy shift as pharmaceutical companies objected to this practice for decades, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), is expected to sue to prevent the plan from going into effect. Despite this, supporters hope this will be a significant step forward in reining in drug prices as other states have applied to the FDA to set up similar programs.

Health Insurers Boost Drug-By-Mail Delivery by Investing in Digital

Health insurance companies are revamping their technology to encourage more people to get their medications through the mail, according to the Wall Street Journal. For years, insurance companies have operated their own mail-order prescription businesses, but these can be time-consuming for patients. Consequently, insurers are improving user interfaces to grow existing mail-order businesses. For example, CarelonRx, Elevance Health’s pharmacy benefits manager, rolled out a new digital pharmacy that lets users live chat with pharmacists, compare prescription costs, and arrange mail delivery for maintenance medications and refills. The company noted that it should now take fewer than 5 clicks after opening the app to order a refill and it expects the number of members ordering refills by mail to more than triple in the next few years.

Hydroxychloroquine May Have Caused Nearly 17,000 Deaths, Study Finds

A study published Tuesday reported that nearly 17,000 patients with COVID-19 may have died after taking hydroxychloroquine during the first pandemic wave, according to Politico. The researchers explained that hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that was prescribed to some hospitalized patients during the first wave of the pandemic despite there being no evidence of its clinical benefits. At the time, then-US President Donald Trump considered it a “miracle cure.” Overall, the researchers estimated that about 16,990 people across 6 countries, including the United States, may have died because of the drug; they noted that the total number may be far higher as the study only analyzed 6 countries.