First US city to defy FDA ends drug imports

The first US city to defy the Food and Drug Administration's prohibition of cheaper drug imports has abandoned its scheme after three years.

The city of Springfield, Massachusetts, estimates that, by enrolling about 1,500 municipal employees and retirees, it will save up to $5.0 million per year, versus the $3.0 million it believes it saved under the Canadian drug reimportation program that has been copied by other local or state authorities across the USA (Marketletters passim).

Despite several warnings, the FDA never intervened to stop the Springfield program. Instead, 32 US Senators have signed up for a Bill that would legalize imports, an issue which the American Association of Retired Persons believes will be a significant mid-term election issue in November, when two-thirds of the USA's Governors, one-third of the Senate and the whole of the US House of Representatives are elected, as well as thousands of local government positions.