Trumps new rule on prescriptions will send the cost of my drugs through the roof and maybe yours too

President Trump’s protectionism gives Americans the same “protection” that the wolf gave to the lamb. The Food and Drug Administration and Customs Border Protection will effectively ban almost all personal prescription imports in January.Millions of Americans who rely on Canadian pharmacies will be whipsawed by much higher prices.

The new policy is spurred by Trump’s hostility to Canada and his devotion to protecting Big Pharma profits.This ban was supposed to be enacted on Oct.22 until the Trump admin backed down this past Thursday, worried about raising drug prices two weeks before the midterms.

But all the delay does is kick the can down the road.Trump often brags that the US has the world’s lowest drug prices, but this is an illusory triumph.

In reality, prescription drug prices here are roughly triple the cost in other affluent nations.A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found the highest rate ever of Americans worried about affording prescription drugs — six out of 10 adults.

Almost half said they had not filled prescriptions, skipped doses, or took other steps to curtail their costs.I’m one of the Americans in the crosshairs of this trade battle. Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with glaucoma.With daily eye drops and regular ophthalmologist visits, my vision has remained fairly stable.  I’ve tried numerous prescription eye drops, but Lumigan is the only effective one that doesn’t give me butt-kicking headaches.

Lumigan costs many times more in the US than in Canada.  I found a trustworthy Canadian online pharmacy that delivers Lumigan for barely a third of the US price after I provided it with a copy of my prescription from my Maryland ophthalmologist.That is typical of the savings pocketed by Americans purchasing from licensed Canadian pharmacies, according to the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation. Six years ago, when he was running for re-election, Trump touted a plan to permit state governments to “go to Ca...