Americans who order prescription medication from pharmacies outside the United States could soon face major changes in how those shipments are processed at the border.
New U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirements are changing the customs process for international mail. The Canadian International Pharmacy Association, or CIPA, warns that when these customs requirements are combined with existing FDA rules for prescription drug imports, many routine prescriptions mailed to U.S. patients from foreign pharmacies may no longer have a workable path through customs beginning October 22, 2026.
That does not mean CBP has announced a blanket ban on all foreign prescriptions. The actual change is more technical. It affects how international mail is entered into the country, what information must be provided, and who takes responsibility for the shipment.
For patients ordering prescription drugs from Canada, Turkey, China, or other countries, however, those technical changes could have a very practical result: medications that previously arrived through ordinary international mail may become much more difficult to receive.
What Is Changing With International Prescription Drug Shipments?
CBP is changing how international mail is processed when it enters the United States. The new system requires more detailed customs information and creates a more formal entry process for many lower-value shipments.
Prescription medications like Norditropin are especially affected because they must satisfy both customs requirements and separate FDA rules governing drug imports.
Why October 22, 2026 Matters
CIPA identifies October 22, 2026 as the key compliance date for requirements it expects to disrupt routine prescription shipments from Canadian and other international pharmacies.
The date does not mark a new blanket ban on foreign prescriptions. Rather, the concern is that the new customs process could make existing FDA restrictions much harder for mail-order pharmacies to navigate.
What Is CBP Entry Type 13?
CBP Entry Type 13 is a new electronic entry option for qualifying international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less.
The system requires information such as:
- Importer of record
- Product description
- Country of origin
- Shipment value
- Tariff classification
- Carrier and tracking information
The purpose is to give CBP more complete information about goods entering the country through international mail.
Why the Importer of Record Matters
Someone must take legal responsibility for the customs entry.
This is one of the biggest issues for foreign prescription shipments. According to CIPA, the customs brokers used by international postal systems may not be able to serve as importer of record for many prescription medications.
That could leave pharmacies without a practical way to complete the required entry.
Entry Type 13 Does Not Override FDA Drug Rules
Completing a customs entry does not automatically make a foreign medication legal to import.
FDA still determines whether a prescription drug is admissible into the United States. In most cases, foreign versions of prescription drugs that are not FDA-approved for the U.S. market cannot simply be imported for personal use.
What About the FDA’s Personal Importation Policy?
FDA may exercise enforcement discretion in limited circumstances, such as certain serious medical conditions.
This is sometimes misunderstood as a general “90-day rule.” It is not a guaranteed right to import three months of medication from another country.
FDA’s personal importation policy is discretionary and depends on factors such as the medication involved, the patient’s circumstances, and whether the shipment meets applicable requirements.
What Does This Mean for Ordering Prescription Drugs From Canada?
Ordering prescription drugs from Canada is one of the areas expected to be most affected by the change.
CIPA says the combination of the new customs-entry requirements and existing FDA rules could prevent most routine prescription orders from its Canadian and international member pharmacies from reaching U.S. patients under their current shipping model.
Are Canadian Prescriptions Being Banned?
Not exactly.
CBP has not issued a rule specifically banning Canadian prescription medications. The problem is that pharmacies may no longer have a workable customs process for sending those medications through international mail.
That distinction is important because much of the coverage describes the change as a crackdown on Canadian prescriptions.
For patients, however, the practical outcome could still be significant if a pharmacy stops shipping to the U.S. or can no longer complete the required customs entry.
What About Prescription Drugs From China, Turkey, and Other Countries?
The rules are not limited to Canada.
People receiving prescription drugs from Turkey, China, or medication from other countries may face the same basic customs and FDA requirements.
The most important questions are:
- Is the medication admissible under FDA rules?
- Who will serve as importer of record?
- Can the required customs information be submitted?
- Does the shipment meet applicable drug-import requirements?
The country itself is only one part of the customs process.
This is why patients ordering from pharmacies in Turkey, China, India, Europe, or elsewhere should not assume the rules only apply to Canadian pharmacies.
What Could Happen to Existing International Prescription Orders?
Patients who currently rely on foreign pharmacies could see several changes after the new requirements take effect.
Possible outcomes include:
- Pharmacies discontinuing U.S. delivery
- Requests for additional documentation
- Longer customs processing times
- Requirements for a customs broker or importer of record
- Shipments being refused if applicable requirements are not met
This does not mean every foreign prescription package will automatically be seized.
The more accurate takeaway is that the existing mail-order process may become much harder to use, especially for pharmacies that previously relied on simpler international mail procedures.
Mailing Medication vs. Getting a Prescription Abroad
One distinction is especially important.
Having a foreign pharmacy mail medication to a U.S. address is different from traveling abroad, seeing a licensed provider, and receiving medication through that country’s healthcare system.
International Mail Orders
Mail-order prescriptions must pass through the international postal and customs-entry system discussed above.
That means the shipment can be affected by Entry Type 13 requirements, importer-of-record rules, and FDA drug-admissibility requirements.
Receiving Treatment in Another Country
A patient who travels to Mexico, sees a licensed provider, and receives medication there is participating in that country’s healthcare system rather than placing an international mail order.
That is a different process from having a prescription shipped to a U.S. address.
U.S. rules may still apply when the patient brings medication back across the border, so receiving a prescription abroad should not be presented as an automatic exemption from FDA or CBP requirements.
How HGH Meds Fits Into This
HGH Meds follows a clinic-based model rather than operating as an overseas mail-order pharmacy.
Patients visit its COFEPRIS-licensed clinic in Mexico for an in-person evaluation. When HGH treatment is medically appropriate, a licensed provider can prescribe medication that is dispensed through the clinic.
Buying HGH this way creates a different process from ordering prescription HGH through an overseas website and waiting for medication to arrive through international mail.
Patients returning to the U.S. with medication should still follow applicable FDA and CBP requirements.
What Should Patients Do Before October 22?
Patients who currently receive prescription medication from another country should confirm how their pharmacy plans to handle the new rules.
A few practical steps include:
- Ask whether U.S. shipments will continue: Confirm whether your pharmacy expects to keep shipping after October 22.
- Check upcoming refills: Do not assume recurring prescriptions will continue under the same process.
- Speak with your provider: Discuss alternatives before changing or stopping any medication.
- Verify claims from international sellers: Be cautious if a seller claims the new customs requirements do not apply without explaining how the shipment will legally enter the U.S.
- Do not mislabel a shipment: Incorrectly describing or concealing prescription medication can create additional customs problems.
Most importantly, patients should not stop or alter a prescribed medication solely because they expect a shipping problem. Any treatment changes should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
What These New Prescription Drug Import Rules Mean for Patients
The October 2026 changes are primarily customs changes, but they could have a significant impact on Americans who receive medications from foreign pharmacies.
CBP Entry Type 13 creates a more detailed electronic process for qualifying international mail. The process requires an eligible party to take responsibility for the entry and provide more detailed information about what is being imported.
Prescription medications remain subject to separate FDA rules on top of those customs requirements.
CIPA believes the combination will make the current mail-order model unworkable for many routine prescription orders sent by Canadian and other international pharmacies.
For patients, the main takeaway is simple: international prescription shipping for medications like Omnitrope may become more complicated after October 22, and it is worth confirming how your pharmacy plans to handle the change before your next refill.
Frequently Asked Questions About the New Prescription Drug Import Rules
1. What is CBP Entry Type 13?
CBP Entry Type 13 is an electronic informal-entry process for qualifying international mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less. It allows required customs information to be submitted electronically through CBP’s system.
2. When do the new customs requirements affect prescription medications?
CIPA identifies October 22, 2026 as the key compliance date for provisions it expects to disrupt routine prescription shipments from Canadian and other international pharmacies.
3. Can I still order prescription drugs from Canada?
Possibly, but the process may become more difficult. CIPA expects many routine prescription orders mailed through its member pharmacies’ existing systems to become unworkable unless implementation changes.
4. Does CBP Entry Type 13 make foreign prescription drugs legal to import?
No. Entry Type 13 provides a customs-entry process. FDA requirements governing the medication itself still apply.
5. Will prescription drugs from Turkey be affected?
Potentially. Entry Type 13 applies to qualifying international mail shipments generally, rather than only shipments from Canada.
6. Will prescription drugs from China be affected?
Yes, prescription medications mailed from China are also subject to U.S. customs and FDA requirements. Whether a shipment is admitted depends on the medication and whether applicable requirements are met.
7. Can I bring prescription medication back from Mexico?
Bringing medication with you is different from having an international pharmacy mail it to your home, but U.S. FDA and CBP rules can still apply. Patients should check current requirements for their specific medication before traveling.
8. Is getting medication through a clinic in Mexico the same as ordering it from an international pharmacy?
No. A clinic visit involves receiving an in-person medical evaluation and obtaining medication through that country’s healthcare system. A mail-order transaction involves sending medication into the U.S. through the international shipping or postal system. Different customs procedures may apply.
