Texans of all political persuasions are fed up with the high cost of prescription drugs and they are about to do something about it.
H.B. 25 would create a Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program in Texas, requiring the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to work with state drug wholesalers to import safe, eligible prescription drugs from Canada.
AUTHOR’S / SPONSOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Every year, per-capita prescription drug spending is astronomically higher in the United States than in all of its peer nations. Canadian consumers pay just half of what U.S. consumers pay for patented prescription drugs, despite the fact that the two countries share an equivalent regulatory system for prescribed medications.
In 2020, the Trump Administration established a pathway for states to import prescription drugs from Canada after finding that it would result in significant cost savings for patients and could be done safely. The Biden Administration later ordered the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help states implement programs. The FDA is currently reviewing proposals from Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and is training state representatives across the country on how to develop importation program applications.
H.B. 25 would create a Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program in Texas, requiring the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to work with state drug wholesalers to import safe, eligible prescription drugs from Canada. If passed, Texas would have to obtain federal approval from the FDA by submitting a proposal that proves the program would generate significant cost savings for consumers and not pose additional risks to health and safety.
Texas Legislature Online – 88(R) Text for HB 25
88(R) HB 25 – Introduced version – Bill Text (texas.gov)
NOTE: Judging from the following list of co-sponsors, this bill will pass:
| Author: | Talarico | Frank | Burrows | Rose | Klick |
| Coauthor: | Allen | Allison | Anchía | Anderson | Bailes | Bell, Cecil | Bell, Keith | Bernal | Bhojani | Bowers | Bryant | Buckley | Bucy | Bumgarner | Burns | Button | Cain | Campos | Canales | Clardy | Cole | Collier | Cook | Cortez | Craddick | Cunningham | Darby | Davis | Dean | DeAyala | Dorazio | Dutton | Flores | Frazier | Gamez | Garcia | Gates | Gerdes | Geren | Gervin-Hawkins | Goldman | González, Jessica | Goodwin | Guerra | Guillen | Harless | Harris, Caroline | Harris, Cody | Harrison | Hayes | Hefner | Hernandez | Herrero | Hinojosa | Howard | Hull | Jetton | Johnson, Ann | Johnson, Jarvis | Johnson, Julie | Jones, Venton | King, Ken | Lalani | Lambert | Landgraf | Leach | Leo-Wilson | Longoria | Lopez, Janie | Lopez, Ray | Lozano | Manuel | Martinez Fischer | Metcalf | Meza | Moody | Morales Shaw | Morales, Christina | Morales, Eddie | Morrison | Muñoz, Jr. | Murr | Neave Criado | Oliverson | Ordaz | Orr | Ortega | Patterson | Paul | Perez | Plesa | Price | Ramos | Raney | Reynolds | Rogers | Romero, Jr. | Rosenthal | Schaefer | Shaheen | Sherman, Sr. | Smith | Spiller | Stucky | Swanson | Tepper | Thierry | Thimesch | Thompson, Ed | Thompson, Senfronia | Toth | Turner | VanDeaver | Vasut | Wilson | Wu | Zwiener |
| Sponsor: | Kolkhorst |
| Cosponsor: | Blanco | LaMantia |
