In this section:
The term "importer" means a pharmacist or wholesaler.
The term "pharmacist" means a person licensed by a State to practice pharmacy, including the dispensing and selling of prescription drugs.
The term "prescription drug" means a drug subject to section 353(b) of this title, other than-
The term "qualifying laboratory" means a laboratory in the United States that has been approved by the Secretary for the purposes of this section.
The term "wholesaler" means a person licensed as a wholesaler or distributor of prescription drugs in the United States under section 353(e)(2)(A) of this title.
The term "wholesaler" does not include a person authorized to import drugs under section 381(d)(1) of this title.
The Secretary, after consultation with the United States Trade Representative and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall promulgate regulations permitting pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs from Canada into the United States.
The regulations under subsection (b) shall-
The regulations under subsection (b) shall require an importer of a prescription drug under subsection (b) to submit to the Secretary the following information and documentation:
The Secretary shall maintain information and documentation submitted under paragraph (1) for such period of time as the Secretary determines to be necessary.
The regulations under subsection (b) shall require-
be supplied by the manufacturer of the prescription drug to the pharmacist or wholesaler; and
Any establishment within Canada engaged in the distribution of a prescription drug that is imported or offered for importation into the United States shall register with the Secretary the name and place of business of the establishment and the name of the United States agent for the establishment.
The Secretary shall require that importations of a specific prescription drug or importations by a specific importer under subsection (b) be immediately suspended on discovery of a pattern of importation of that specific prescription drug or by that specific importer of drugs that are counterfeit or in violation of any requirement under this section, until an investigation is completed and the Secretary determines that the public is adequately protected from counterfeit and violative prescription drugs being imported under subsection (b).
The manufacturer of a prescription drug shall provide an importer written authorization for the importer to use, at no cost, the approved labeling for the prescription drug.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, section 381(d)(1) of this title continues to apply to a prescription drug that is donated or otherwise supplied at no charge by the manufacturer of the drug to a charitable or humanitarian organization (including the United Nations and affiliates) or to a government of a foreign country.
Congress declares that in the enforcement against individuals of the prohibition of importation of prescription drugs and devices, the Secretary should-
The Secretary may grant to individuals, by regulation or on a case-by-case basis, a waiver of the prohibition of importation of a prescription drug or device or class of prescription drugs or devices, under such conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
The Secretary shall publish, and update as necessary, guidance that accurately describes circumstances in which the Secretary will consistently grant waivers on a case-by-case basis under subparagraph (A), so that individuals may know with the greatest practicable degree of certainty whether a particular importation for personal use will be permitted.
In particular, the Secretary shall by regulation grant individuals a waiver to permit individuals to import into the United States a prescription drug that-
Nothing in this section limits the authority of the Secretary relating to the importation of prescription drugs, other than with respect to section 381(d)(1) of this title as provided in this section.
This section shall become effective only if the Secretary certifies to the Congress that the implementation of this section will-
If, after the date that is 1 year after the effective date of the regulations under subsection (b) and before the date that is 18 months after the effective date, the Secretary submits to Congress a certification that, in the opinion of the Secretary, based on substantial evidence obtained after the effective date, the benefits of implementation of this section do not outweigh any detriment of implementation of this section, this section shall cease to be effective as of the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits the certification.
The Secretary shall not submit a certification under subparagraph (A) unless, after a hearing on the record under sections 556 and 557 of title 5, the Secretary-
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
21 U.S.C. § 384
EDITORIAL NOTES
PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 384, act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, §804, as added Pub. L. 106-387, §1(a) [title VII, §745(c)(2)], Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1549, 1549A-36, related to importation of covered products, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 108-173, title XI, §1121(a), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2464.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
CHANGE OF NAME"Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection" substituted for "Commissioner of Customs" in subsec. (b) on authority of section 802(d)(2) of Pub. L. 114-125 set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6, Domestic Security.
EFFECTIVE DATEFor certification by Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to subsec. (l)(1) of this section, see 85 F.R. 62094, 62096 (Oct. 1, 2020); 166 Cong. Rec. S6652 (daily ed. Nov. 10, 2020) (citing Executive Communication EC-5822); 166 Cong. Rec. H5866 (daily ed. Nov. 17, 2020) (citing Executive Communication EC-5624).
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONSFor transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107-296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114-125 and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114-125 set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.
STUDY AND REPORT ON IMPORTATION OF DRUGS Pub. L. 108-173, title XI, §11221122,, 117 Stat. 2469, directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on the importation of drugs into the United States pursuant to this section and to submit to Congress, not later than 12 months after Dec. 8, 2003, a report providing the findings of such study.
EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS
EX. ORD. NO. 13938. INCREASING DRUG IMPORTATION TO LOWER PRICES FOR AMERICAN PATIENTSEx. Ord. No. 13938, July 24, 2020, 85 F.R. 45757, provided:By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:SECTION 1. Purpose. Americans spend more per capita on pharmaceutical drugs than residents of any other developed country. Americans often pay more for the exact same drugs, even when they are produced and shipped from the exact same facilities.One way to minimize international disparities in price is to increase the trade of prescription drugs between nations with lower prices and those with persistently higher ones. Over time, reducing trade barriers and increasing the exchange of drugs will likely result in lower prices for the country that is paying more for drugs. For example, in the European Union, a market characterized by price controls and significant barriers to entry, the parallel trade of drugs has existed for decades and has been estimated to reduce the price of certain drugs by up to 20 percent. Accordingly, my Administration supports the goal of safe importation of prescription drugs.SEC. 2. Permitting the Importation of Safe Prescription Drugs from Other Countries. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, take action to expand safe access to lower-cost imported prescription drugs by: (a) facilitating grants to individuals of waivers of the prohibition of importation of prescription drugs, provided such importation poses no additional risk to public safety and results in lower costs to American patients, pursuant to section 804(j)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), 21 U.S.C. 384(j)(2);(b) authorizing the re-importation of insulin products upon a finding by the Secretary that it is required for emergency medical care pursuant to section 801(d) of the FDCA, 21 U.S.C. 381(d); and(c) completing the rulemaking process regarding the proposed rule to implement section 804(b) through (h) of the FDCA, 21 U.S.C. 384(b) through (h), to allow importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada.SEC. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.Donald J. Trump.