The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has allowed Florida to import prescription drugs worth potentially millions of dollars from Canada - a move that may raise renewed concerns about drug supplies north of the border.

Florida has estimated that purchasing prescription drugs from Canada to treat conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and hepatitis could save the southern state $150 million annually.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Florida's request. In a letter to the state government dated Friday, the agency's director signed the proposal and said that importing drugs from Canada could significantly reduce the cost of covered products for the American consumer without posing an additional risk to public health and safety.

America is also one of the few countries that have applied for permission to import medical drugs wholesale from Canada, meaning Friday's approval could be just the first of several countries.

Canada - which established a federal regulatory agency decades ago to ensure that patent drug prices do not rise - has resisted these import plans for years.

When contacted for comment, Canada's Ministry of Health said it hoped to issue a statement to CBC News by late Saturday afternoon.

A ministry spokesperson also told The New York Times that wholesale importation would not provide an effective solution to the problem of high drug prices in the United States.

Marise Durette told the newspaper that drug supplies in Canada are too small to meet the needs of American and Canadian consumers.

Canada has blocked exports in the past

In 2019, the United States then. President Donald Trump proposed a rule to allow wholesale importation of prescription drugs, promising it would be a game-changer for American seniors.

Within months, the Canadian government blocked wholesale exports of some prescription drugs to ward off the risk of domestic shortages.

At that time, Health Minister Patty Hajdu also said that our healthcare system is a symbol of our national identity and we are committed to defending it.

The Canadian Ministry of Health issued a statement at the time saying that nearly 10 to 15 percent of drugs have experienced supply shortages in Canada at any time since 2017.