The International Pharmaceutical Market as a Source of Low-Cost Prescription Drugs for U.S. Patients

摘要

In response to increasing prescription drug costs, more U.S. patients and policymakers are importing less-expensive pharmaceuticals from other countries. Federal legislators continue to debate whether to legalize importation. Three factors affect whether U.S. patients and policymakers can rely on other countries as sources of imported prescription drugs: the feasibility of strategies to ensure the safety of the product, how the import price compares with domestic prices, and how importation might affect the exporting country's pharmaceutical market.