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Colorado is taking a new step toward importing prescription drugs from Canada. The state is now soliciting vendors to implement Colorado’s Canadian Drug Importation Program. The program is designed to give Coloradans access to Canada’s lower-priced drugs. (Padilla, 1/25)

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing has released the next step in a state plan aimed at lowering prescription drug costs in Colorado by importing drugs from Canada. The Colorado General Assembly passed SB19-005 in 2019, authorizing the department to seek approval from the federal government to establish a "Canadian Prescription Drug Importation'" program to allow Coloradans access to Canada's lower-priced drugs.  On Monday, the department released an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) bidding process in an effort to find vendors to help operationalize the program, including aspects of compliance, safety and prescription drug distribution. (Sheldon, 1/25)

On a nearly daily basis, Dr. Ky Davis sees his patients make a difficult choice between taking necessary medication or giving up on it because it’s too expensive. “We have patients that see the price and decide they don’t want it, or we have patients who tell us they only take it every other day,” said Davis, who runs Harris Pharmacy in Rocky Ford. “We know that when the can get it affordably they’re more likely to take it and the medication can only help if they take it.” (Todd, 1/25)

In a video farewell address on Jan. 19 and in remarks at Joint Base Andrews before leaving for Florida on Jan. 20, outgoing President Donald Trump distorted the facts on the economy, his tax cuts, veterans, the military, drug prices and more. ... Late in his first term, Trump signed several executive orders on drug prices, but, as we explained, it remains to be seen how the orders will be implemented and whether they will result in large price reductions. As for Trump’s reference to “favored nations,” that updated executive order, signed Sept. 13, hasn’t had any impact. (Robertson, Kiely, Farley and Gore, 1/20)

Politicians of all stripes have run on promises to lower drug prices over the years, and outgoing President Donald Trump was no different. Fast-forward four years—past several attempts to rein in drug costs—and pricing dynamics largely remain the same.  Now, the issue will be President Joe Biden’s to handle. While the COVID-19 pandemic will be the new administration's “first, second and third” priority, said Rachel Sachs, law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, there are reasons to expect drug pricing action down the road. (Sagonowsky, 1/20)