Bill > HB5144

This bill establishes the Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program in West Virginia, allowing for the import of prescription drugs from Canada on behalf of the state, provided it receives approval and certification from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under federal law (specifically 21 U.S.C. § 384). The program, to be designed and overseen by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (referred to as "Department"), must ensure that imported drugs meet the safety and effectiveness standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are expected to provide significant cost savings to consumers. To implement the program, the Department must become or contract with a licensed drug wholesaler, work with licensed Canadian suppliers, and comply with federal drug tracing requirements. The bill also outlines requirements for program design, including potential multistate collaboration, prohibiting the distribution of imported drugs outside the state, establishing funding mechanisms, and creating an audit function, with rules to be proposed by January 1, 2026, and a request for federal approval by April 1, 2026, with implementation to follow federal approval. The Department will be required to report annually on the program's progress, including participation, dispensed prescriptions, and estimated cost savings, from December 2027 until 2031.

Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5144&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill