U.S. Delays New Mail Entry Rules for Foreign Prescription Drug Shipments Until January 2027
Customs and Border Protection pushed the start date of new electronic filing requirements for small international mail packages from Oct. 22 to Jan. 20, 2027. Patient groups had warned the change could disrupt medicine orders from Canadian pharmacies.
The U.S. government has delayed by 90 days new customs requirements for small international mail shipments that patient advocates warned could disrupt prescription drug orders from licensed foreign pharmacies.
Customs and Border Protection said the mandatory compliance date for the new mail entry process moves from Oct. 22 to Jan. 20, 2027, according to Reuters. The agency said there will be no changes to international mail entry procedures in the meantime.
The rule targets the de minimis tariffs exemption, which has eased requirements for shipments valued under $800. Under the new process, postal shipments subject to Section 201, 232, or 301 duties, or under the jurisdiction of a partner agency such as the Food and Drug Administration, would need electronic filing and a customs bond.
Patients feared losing access to cheaper drugs
As the Oct. 22 deadline approached, patient advocates and industry groups warned the data and bonding requirements could cause delays, refusals, or added costs for personal drug orders, according to Reuters. The Canadian International Pharmacy Association said most routine personal orders from licensed foreign pharmacies could be disrupted.
More than 2 million Americans bought prescription drugs from outside the U.S. to save money, according to a 2020 study published in JAMA Network Open. Advocacy groups warned the change could force patients to ration drugs such as the blood thinner Eliquis, which costs about half as much through Canadian pharmacies as in the U.S., Becker’s Hospital Review reported.
The old deadline fell 12 days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, in which household affordability has become a central issue for voters, Reuters reported. CBP said the extension gives importers, brokers, and logistics providers more time to update their processes and is meant to avoid disruptions to certain international postal shipments, according to an Oct. 14 agency release.
Reporting based on coverage by Reuters and Becker’s Hospital Review.
