The U.S. FDA’s Jan. 5 approval of Florida’s plan to import prescription drugs from Canada to take advantage of their lower price triggered ongoing communication between senior U.S. officials and Canada’s Ministry of Health over Canadian concerns about maintaining sufficient drug supplies.

With its approval Jan. 5 of Florida’s drug importation program, the U.S. FDA ended a 23-year wait for the government to implement a 2000 provision allowing certain prescription drug imports from Canada.

In an effort to standardize prescription practices across Canada, help Canadians afford their medicines and improve access to health data, the government is investing an additional $89.5 million over the next five years to establish the Canadian Drug Agency.