Government
Federal lawmakers introduce drug importation legislation
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 29, 2007
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives introduced the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Safety Act in January. The bill would allow U.S.-licensed pharmacies and drug wholesalers to import Food and Drug Administration-approved medication from Canada, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
Consumers could buy FDA-approved prescription drugs from agency-inspected Canadian pharmacies. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation would provide $50 billion in direct savings in the next decade.
Meanwhile, a provision in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, adopted last fall, allows Americans to bring a 90-day supply of noncontrolled, FDA-approved drugs to the U.S. The measure does not allow purchase via Internet or mail order.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/01/29/gvbf0129.htm.