Efforts continue for drug reimportation

The Bush administration objects to prescriptions without borders, citing safety concerns.

By Markian Hawryluk, AMNews staff. Aug. 12, 2002.

Washington -- Critics of proposals to allow reimportation of prescription drugs are wondering how many refills the measure's proponents have left.

Lawmakers have passed multiple bills to allow the reimportation of American-made medications to help seniors and people with chronic conditions save money. But none of the measures has been implemented.

That hasn't stopped lawmakers from raising the issue again this year. In July, Senators voted to support a measure that would allow reimportation of drugs from Canada, while a House panel began consideration of legislation that would permit prescription drugs from any country.

At press time, the fate of the bill to which the reimportation measure was amended was uncertain. The issue was mired in a debate over a Medicare prescription drug benefit. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D, N.D.), would allow pharmacies and wholesalers to reimport low-cost medicines from Canada.

The measure may have been rendered moot, however, when the Senate also adopted an amendment by Sen. Thad Cochran (R, Miss.) requiring the Health and Human Services secretary to certify that drug reimportation will be safe and a cost-saver.

A similar provision doomed a reimportation bill passed in 2000. Both the Clinton and Bush administrations refused to implement the measure because of safety concerns. That bill would have allowed reimportation from 26 countries.

Limiting the new measure to imports from Canada has not won over administration officials. The Bush administration says the proposal "would create unacceptable risks of adulterated, outdated, mislabeled or otherwise unsafe medications." [...]