On July 30, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14324, suspending the de minimis exemption that let low-value packages enter the U.S. duty-free. A Customs and Border Protection interim final rule published June 24, 2026 applies that to international mail and sets an October 22, 2026 compliance date for a new requirement: “Formal entry is required for any mail shipment subject to the requirements of another government agency,” which covers FDA-regulated products such as medicines. The rule does not name any drug or ban prescriptions outright, Medical Daily reported, but it puts personal mail orders through customs paperwork, duties and fees.
The Canadian International Pharmacy Association said that “virtually all routine personal prescription orders mailed from licensed Canadian and international pharmacies will be unable to reach them,” unless the arrangements change, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. A 2020 study in JAMA Network Open estimated that about 2.3 million U.S. adults bought prescription drugs from other countries to save money. Importing prescription drugs for personal use has technically been illegal in most cases, but the FDA has long allowed small personal supplies through enforcement discretion; an HHS spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal the FDA would continue to evaluate personal imports case by case, according to Straight Arrow News. The administration said the de minimis exemption was being exploited to ship illegal drugs and evade tariffs.
Seventy-one House members led by Reps. Mark Pocan and Jan Schakowsky asked HHS, FDA, DHS and CBP to “delay any implementation of new procedures with respect to prescription medicines” unless the agencies can assure that genuine prescriptions for personal use will not be stopped.