Congress backs reimports to lower U.S. drug prices
By Andrew Clark/Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the high cost of prescription drugs a key election-year issue, Congress Tuesday appeared to be moving swiftly toward allowing U.S.-made medicines to be reimported from other countries where they are often sold far more cheaply.
The effort -- which could have far-reaching implications for the U.S. pharmaceutical industry's pricing and profits -- is bitterly opposed by drug manufacturers, who say it may expose patients to dangerous, fake or adulterated medicines.
But with Republicans, Democrats and the White House signaling rare accord on the issue, the way appeared to be opening up for the enactment of legislation that would allow pharmacists and drug wholesalers to buy U.S. brand-name drugs in countries with lower prices, like Canada and Mexico, and then resell them cheaply in the United States.
"It looks like we can get an agreement on the reimportation of drugs ... with the safety provisions that need to be in there to protect all Americans," Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott told reporters after meeting with House Republican leaders.
Under current law, only drug makers are allowed to reimport prescription drugs. But measures to alter that have already passed by wide margins in the House and Senate as amendments to the 2001 agriculture spending bill.
The House approach would effectively bar the Food and Drug Administration from enforcing the current law, while the Senate version would explicitly allow the reimportation of FDA-approved drugs manufactured in FDA-approved facilities.
President Clinton has said he would sign the Senate legislation as long as the FDA received additional funding to oversee the new system, which the agency estimates could cost up to $23 million in its first year of operation.
"I think it's wrong when drug companies sell the same drugs for a much higher price at home than they do overseas -- even when those drugs are manufactured right here in America," Clinton told a White House event. "I support the legislation the Senate has passed to right this wrong."
House Republican leaders said Tuesday they were also now leaning toward the Senate approach, and that finding the extra money for the FDA should not be a problem.
"I think it will look pretty much like the (Senate) bill," House Speaker Dennis Hastert said. "We consider that (funding) quite manageable," House Republican Leader Dick Armey added.
Congressional Democrats said they were ready to move swiftly on the effort. "If we can get the Senate language, I think you could see this bill done in a matter of days," House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt said.
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