Washington, Aug. 1 -- The Trump administration said Wednesday it will create a way for Americans to legally and safely import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada for the first time, reversing years of refusals by health authorities amid a public outcry over high prices for life-sustaining medications.

The move is a step toward fulfilling a 2016 campaign promise by President Donald Trump, and it weakens an import ban that has stood as a symbol of the political clout of the pharmaceutical industry. It's unclear how soon consumers will see benefits, as the plan has to go through time-consuming regulatory approval and later could face court challenges from drugmakers.

It comes as the industry is facing a crescendo of consumer complain...