TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — In a story April 11 about importing prescription drugs to Florida, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Democratic state Rep. Al Jacquet is from Tallahassee. He is from Lantana.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Florida House passes bill on Canadian drug imports access
Floridians could eventually gain access to cheaper Canadian prescription drugs under legislation passed by the state House, a top priority of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis
By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Floridians could eventually gain access to cheaper Canadian prescription drugs under legislation passed Thursday by the state House, a top priority of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The GOP-led House voted 93-22 on Thursday for the measure, which if finalized creates a prescription drug importation program that would have to be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. A similar bill is moving in the state Senate and the two versions must be reconciled to win final passage.
"The United States pays more for prescription drugs than anywhere else in the world," DeSantis said in a statement. "In Florida, we can change that by employing safe, common sense solutions such as importing FDA approved prescription drugs from Canada."
The chief sponsor, Republican Rep. Tom Leek of Daytona Beach, said the measure would give Floridians an opportunity to pay less for vital prescription drugs. U.S. consumers pay some of the highest prescription drug prices in the world, as much as 30% to 190% more than other Western countries, according to a legislative staff analysis.
The U.S. spends about $333 billion annually on prescription drugs, or about $10,739 per person, according to the analysis.
"We have an opportunity today to give...
