Congress breathes new life into drug importation law

Narrow criteria for ordering medication from Canada are set in legislation that lawmakers hope will help meet FDA's safety concerns.

By Joel B. Finkelstein, AMNews staff. July 14, 2003.

Washington -- The push to legalize the importation of drugs has gained new momentum as part of the effort to reform Medicare.

Legislation to allow U.S. patients to order prescription drugs from pharmacies in Canada would make these drugs available to individuals who could not otherwise afford them, proponents say.

Congress added importation amendments to the Medicare prescription drug bills that recently were passed by the House and Senate.

The price of prescription drugs has risen faster than other areas of health care over the past few years, said Rep. Dan Burton (R, Ind.). Currently, one in five adults cannot afford to buy some or all of his or her prescribed medicines, Burton said.

"Unless the high price of prescription drugs is brought down to a more manageable level, we face the very real possibility that more and more Americans will be forced to choose between purchasing their food and buying their prescription drugs," he said at a recent hearing on the subject.

During debate on the Senate floor, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, Mich.) said, "If we want to help folks right now, the way to do that is to give them the opportunity to get their prescription drugs at the lowest possible price."

Legislation sponsors say they are just trying to bring prescription drugs within the realm of free trade. However, some lawmakers and economic experts argue that Americans would be importing not only drugs but also price controls.