Simpson Co-Sponsors Drug Re-Importation Legislation

Simpson Co-Sponsors Drug Re-Importation Legislation

Congressman Mike Simpson is an original cosponsor of HR 380, the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007. This legislation allows U.S.-licensed pharmacies and drug wholesalers to import FDA-approved medications from Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan and pass along the savings to their American customers.

"Pharmaceuticals are an important part of modern medicine, and seniors should not have to worry about whether they can afford the medicines they need to stay healthy, maintain their independence, and extend their lives," said Simpson. "American consumers pay significantly more for the same prescription drugs, on average. For example, brand-name drug prices are 70 percent higher in the United States than they are in Canada."

H.R. 380 would allow Americans to benefit from prices in other countries, which are 35-55 percent lower than in the U.S., while still enabling consumers to receive medications at their local pharmacy. It would also allow individual consumers to purchase prescription drugs for their own personal use from safe, reliable, FDA-inspected Canadian pharmacies. The bill has the added benefit of improving safety provisions for Americans purchasing their drugs from other countries.

"The goal of the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007 is to allow the free market to work and allow Americans access to drugs at whatever price pharmaceutical companies are willing to sell their products," said Simpson. "Pharmaceutical research and development is definitely important and necessary, however, it should not be funded solely by Americans while subsidizing drugs for consumers in Europe and Canada."

http://www.house.gov/list/press/id02_simpson/drug_reimportation.html