U.S. Department of Homeland Security Order to End 'De Minimis Exemption' for Mail Shipments, Impacting Affordable Drug Imports from Canada
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is set to implement an order on October 22 that will remove a special 'de minimis exemption' for mail shipments valued at $800 or less arriving in the United States. This exemption previously allowed small-value shipments, including personal importations of prescription medications, to bypass tariffs and investigations. The change means that all international mail packages, including low-value e-commerce goods and prescription medications, will now require duties to be assessed and prepaid before crossing the border. This development is expected to significantly impact millions of U.S. patients who rely on foreign mail-order pharmacies, primarily from Canada, to acquire affordable daily medications. For example, one patient, Diamantina Cavazos, who currently pays around $10 a week for a prescription drug from an online Canadian pharmacy, faces a potential cost of $1,100 a week in the U.S. once the exemption is removed. The exact volume or value of small-package phar...
