Push
is on for affordable imports of prescription drugs
May 9th , 2004
WASHINGTON - Congress
is exploring ways to loosen the rules on importing drugs from
Canada and other countries amid growing political pressure
for the federal government to reduce the cost of prescription
drugs. For years elderly and uninsured Mainers have traveled
across the border to Canada to buy drugs at prices that in
some cases are less than half of what they'd pay in the United
States. But the travelers can shuttle back only enough for
six months of personal use.
Congress has twice
approved importation so long as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
certifies the foreign drugs are safe. But U.S. health officials
warn that they can't protect against irregular doses or counterfeit
drugs in a system they don't oversee. Drugmakers and their
allies in Congress contend that forcing down prices would
curb innovative research into new medication.
Now a bill by Sen.
Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, would make it easier for U.S. drug
wholesalers to import drugs from other countries. It's one
of several measures aimed at regulating drug importation that
the Senate Health Committee will hear on May 20.
Snowe's bill would
basically regulate wholesalers in the United States importing
from other countries. A rival bill from Sen. Charles Grassley,
R-Iowa, aims to regulate the manufacturers who would export
directly to Americans from foreign countries. And the committee
chairman, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., is drafting another version
modeled on regulating foreign drugs the same way as food arriving
from overseas.
"I don't know if we
will get that done this year, but there's going to be a lot
of discussion. It's a huge political issue, an issue that
has huge ramifications in terms of research and development
of individual drugs," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist,
R-Tenn. and himself a doctor.
"The door will be opened
if the safety concerns can be addressed," Frist said.
The Congressional Budget
Office said Canadian prices for patented drugs are 35 percent
to 55 percent less than domestic rates. But the office raised
the specter that, in order to thwart importation, drug makers
would shift production or ship only enough to Canada to supply
their customers.
"Permitting importation
only from Canada would produce a negligible reduction in drug
spending," the office reported April 29.
But because Snowe's
bill would allow importation from any country where a manufacturer
has been inspected by the Food and Drug Administration, she
contends savings could be much greater. Because CBO estimated
15 percent of drugs could be imported at the savings projected,
Snowe argued that savings would provide a considerable benefit
to customers.
"CBO reaffirms my long-standing
belief that safe and affordable prescription drugs can be
legally achieved with the correct legislation in place," she
said.
Click
Here to read the enire article.
Affordable RX ® - "Your
Prescription for Savings" ™
Affordable
imports of prescription drugs from Canada
Thompson
shifts on drug imports
Prescription
Cost Cutting
Senator
says buying Canadian drugs could save California millions
Governor
Pushes Pilot Program on Cheaper Canadian Drugs
Lawmakers
look north for savings on prescriptions
Senate
Votes to Allow Importing of Prescription Drugs From Canada
The
war on affordable drugs
Cross
border pharmacy regulation
Is
reimportation coming? It's looking good
Kerry
favors importing cheaper Canadian drugs
Seniors
protest after company cuts off supply to Canadian pharmacies,
seek to legalize reimportation
AARP Will Lobby for Canadian
Drugs Seattle
to look at Canadian drugs
City
May Import Medicines / Canadian drugs could save up to $2.4
million
White
House, GOP forced to take new look at Canadian drugs
Medicare
drug benefit, Medicare Drug Card, Medicare Prescription Plan
for Seniors
Springfield
Massachusetts Saves $2M on Canadian Drugs from Canada Pharmacies
Wisconsin
Canadian Drugs Web Site , Governor Jim Doyle Canada Pharmacy
Wisconsin Website
|
