Canada’s working on a plan to stop Trump’s drug importation idea

Canada’s health minister, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, met with advocates Monday to discuss Canada’s response to President Trump’s plan to import Canadian drugs. Here’s what happened in the meeting, per two people who participated:

The minister and two of her deputies, Stefania Trombetti and Abby Hoffman, listened to the views of various patient and pharmacy groups as well as Canada’s drug lobby, Innovative Medicines Canada. More than 20 advocates participated in the meeting, according to an attendee list shared with STAT. They didn’t do much other than listening, though: Despite being pitched on export controls and a legislative fix that would block exportation of drugs, the minister didn’t show her cards on what strategy she was eyeing. The minister did, however, promise to follow up with a technical briefing that’ll go deeper into Canada’s strategy. Petitpas Taylor also committed to bring up the issue with HHS Secretary Alex Azar the next time the two speak. 

If you’re curious about what Canada could do actually do to stop the plan, may I suggest a recent story from Lev and I? After talking to nearly a dozen experts, we learned that the easiest and most expedient option Canada could pursue would be adding pharmaceuticals to Canada’s export control list, a watch-list of sorts typically meant to prevent illicit arms trading. Their parliament could also call an emergency session and pass a law banning exporting drugs. You can read that story here.