Importation of prescription drugs.

Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA) , which includes departments charged with the administration of health, social, and other human services. Existing law requires CHHSA to enter into partnerships to increase patient access to affordable drugs and to produce or distribute generic prescription drugs and at least one form of insulin, as specified. This bill would create the Affordable Prescription Drug Importation Program in CHHSA, under which the state would be a licensed wholesaler that imports prescription drugs, as specified, for the exclusive purpose of dispensing those drugs to program participants. The bill would require CHHSA to seek federal approval for the importation program on or before June 1, 2022, and would require CHHSA to contract with at least one contracted importer to provide services under the importation program within 6 months of receiving federal approval. The bill would require a contracted importer to, among other things, establish a wholesale prescription drug importation list that identifies the prescription drugs that have the highest potential for cost savings to the state and identify and contract with eligible Canadian suppliers who have agreed to export prescription drugs on that list. This bill would authorize a contracted importer to import a prescription drug from a Canadian supplier if specified requirements are met. The bill would authorize CHHSA to expand the importation program to authorize a manufacturer, wholesale distributor, or pharmacy in a foreign country other than Canada to export prescription drugs to California if specified requirements are met, including a change in federal law. If the importation program is expanded, the bill would authorize a contracted importer to import prescription drugs from a manufacturer, wholesale distributor, or pharmacy in a foreign country other than Canada.