Many Floridians struggle to pay for expensive prescription drugs, but efforts at both the state and federal levels aim to lower costs. Industry leaders discussed those initiatives at the 2024 Florida State of Reform Health Policy Conference last month.
Dr. Kevin Duane—owner of Panama Pharmacy and a member of the Florida Pharmacy Association—said the patient population at his Jacksonville pharmacy are predominantly minorities or have a lower socioeconomic status.
“So I saw firsthand the struggles that people have,” Duane said. “You read news articles about how people have to pick whether they buy their heart medicine or buy groceries. I saw that firsthand, and it was very shocking. Being an advocate for those that can’t advocate for themselves is very important. So in order to be part of a true solution, I decided I had to become more involved in prescription drug affordability in this state, and be the voice for my patient base.”
Dr. Constance Payne, associate principal at Health Management Associates (HMA), noted that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized Florida to import certain prescription drugs from Canada, aiming to give residents access to lower drug prices paid by people in that country. It was the first time the FDA has granted authority for a state to safely import prescription drugs from another country.
“Florida lawmakers have implemented measures to improve drug affordability over the last few years, including legislation to authorize drug importation from Canada,” Payne said. “What obstacles remain, and as a pharmacist who always has drug safety in mind, are there potential risks to drug importation that might outweigh the benefits?”
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