Sarasota patients who buy prescription drugs from foreign pharmacies face a Tuesday, Oct. 6, deadline to place their final orders before a federal rule changes how those medications can enter the country.

Canada Med Services, a Sarasota business that has helped patients order medications from abroad for 23 years, will stop accepting orders on that date. Owner Dulcy Kushmore said the company will no longer be able to bring medications into the country under its existing system after Thursday, Oct. 22, according to a report first reported by WFLA.

Kushmore said the business has saved clients more than $8 million on prescription drugs over its lifetime. She said her concern is not the effect on her business but what will happen to patients who rely on lower-cost medications from abroad.

Federal rule changes how medications can enter the U.S.

The cutoff stems from an interim final rule from U.S. Customs and Border Protection published June 24.

The rule indefinitely suspends the de minimis administrative exemption for merchandise valued at $800 or less arriving through the international postal network. The exemption had allowed qualifying low-value shipments to enter without the customs procedures now required.

The Trump administration said the change is intended in part to prevent illicit or dangerous goods from entering the country. CBP has cited illicit drugs, including fentanyl, among the concerns behind tighter controls on low-value shipments.

CBP also established new entry procedures for qualifying international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less. Entry Type 13 provides a voluntary electronic option for certain shipments, allowing qualified filers to submit informal entries electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment.

Several international pharmacies have announced cutoff dates as early as Friday, Oct. 2, so U.S.-bound orders can be dispatched before the Oct. 22 compliance date.

Sarasota patients worry about cost and access

For patients who have relied on foreign pharmacies, the change could mean substantially higher costs or difficulty obtaining medications.

Kenneth Esthus told WFLA he is searching for alternatives for his 92-year-old mother, who needs blood thinners.

"$500 a month for Eliquis. It's ridiculous," Esthus told WFLA. "It's $200 for 90 days versus $500 for 30 days."

Kathie Everhart, who has gastroparesis, a chronic digestive disorder, said her medication is not available in the United States. She said she is allergic to the domestic alternative and does not know what she will do when her current supply runs out.

An estimated 2 million to 4 million Americans purchase prescription drugs from foreign mail-order pharmacies each year, according to Hoodline, citing industry reporting.

A survey by the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation found 89% of people importing medications were 65 or older.

Canada Med Services works through final order deadline

Kushmore said she plans to continue working through the Oct. 6 deadline to help as many patients as possible place their final orders.

Canada Med Services has spent more than two decades helping Sarasota-area patients purchase prescription medications from pharmacies outside the United States.

The Oct. 22 change will effectively end that option under the company's existing business model.

Kushmore urged affected patients to contact their federal lawmakers and advocate for continued access to imported prescription medications.