Maine has become the first state to allow the direct purchase of medications from foreign pharmacies, (so the Wall Street Journal reports)
Drug manufacturers have filed a lawsuit, saying the move puts consumers at risk for counterfeit or tainted products. Maine’s governor counters, “It’s not a safety issue. It’s turf.”
The potential for cost-savings is immense: The city of Portland has been using a Canadian broker to purchase medications for its employees for years, saving the city over $3 million between 2004 and 2012.
While the FDA forbids medication imports, consumers are rarely stopped from shopping abroad.
