Senators call for targeted drug importation

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) are recommending that HHS allow the targeted importation of off-patent drugs in response to price hikes. In a letter to HHS Secretary Tom Price, the senators noted Price has legal authority to allow importation if he certifies that it can be accomplished without posing an additional risk to public health and that it would significantly reduce "the cost of covered products to the American consumer.” During the campaign, President Trump expressed support for drug importation.

The letter does not name specific products, but the importation criteria would clearly apply to Emflaza deflazacort, a corticosteroid from Marathon Pharmaceuticals LLC (Northbrook, Ill.) approved last week to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The drug is available outside the U.S. at prices much lower than the $89,000 annual wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) proposed by Marathon (see BioCentury Extra, Feb. 13)...