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# FDA Ups Seizures of Foreign Drugs
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-ups-seizures-of-foreign-drugs/
- Published: 2020-04-22T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T16:12:20.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5146620

During the Covid-19 pandemic, FDA has stepped up seizures of prescription drugs mailed to American customers from pharmacies in Canada and other countries, according to a *Kaiser Health News* [article](https://www.salon.com/2020/04/22/fda-continues-to-seize-cheaper-drugs-from-canada-as-covid-19-spreads-across-us%5Fpartner/?ref=fdaweb.com) reprinted online by *Salon*. Often, it says, the recipients are individuals trying to avoid trips to a pharmacy because of the pandemic.

The article describes the case of a Maitland, FL, man who obtains an asthma inhaler through Canadian MedStore, a Florida storefront business that facilitates the sale from a Canadian pharmacy for U.S. patients with prescriptions from their local doctor. The 83-year-old man says he saves hundreds of dollars a year because the price through Canadian MedStore is 35% cheaper than at a Maitland pharmacy.

The man said the seizure notice he received from FDA said the Breo inhaler was not labeled correctly because it did not say for “Rx only.”

The article says that Canadian MedStore co-owner **Bill Hepscher** said more than 200 customers have had drugs seized since early March. He said they have had to reorder the medication or pay the higher price at a U.S. pharmacy.

“How can FDA justify spending resources on this during a worldwide pandemic?” he asked. *Kaiser Health News* says agency officials refused to comment.

The story says the seizures come as the Trump administration has been working with Florida, Colorado, and other states on a system to help more Americans import drugs from Canada.

Since 2003, *Kaiser* reports, FDA has not stopped Florida retail stores from helping consumers buy drugs from abroad. Although nine storefronts were raided by the agency in 2017, they were allowed to continue operating.