Friday, September 22, 2006
CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
DORGAN & SNOWE REACT TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG AGREEMENT BY HOMELAND SECURITY CONFEREES
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) released the following statements today in response to an agreement reached Thursday by the Homeland Security Appropriations conferees that would bar the Customs Service from prohibiting Americans from returning from Canada with prescription drugs purchased there.
Dorgan and Snowe, coauthors of comprehensive legislation that would provide safe access for all Americans to lower priced prescription medicines imported from Canada and other western industrialized nations, said that “unfortunately, most Americans cannot easily travel to Canada, and the amendment simply maintains the status quo of current FDA policy. As we see millions of Americans denied access to safe and effective medications they receive from Canadian pharmacies, we must move forward and at last enact comprehensive legislation by passing the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act.”
“The big pharmaceutical companies, which charge the American consumers the highest prices in the world for prescription medicines, are going to love this agreement. It changes nothing. It does nothing to provide more access for American consumers to lower priced medicines. Once again, Congress has stood up for the big drug companies at the expense of the American consumer. More than two-thirds of the Senate support drug importation,” Dorgan added. “The time has come to take up our bipartisan legislation, which is endorsed by dozens of groups including the AARP. The Majority Leader needs to allow it to come up for a vote.”
“The Americans people are eager for significant and meaningful prescription drug reform. A real change must be made and legislation must be enacted to provide safe and effective access to imported medications for the American people. The Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act will provide that access. The drug importation program created under the Dorgan-Snowe bill is certainly safer than the completely unregulated system we have today. This reality clearly explains why a third of the Senate has cosponsored this legislation, and so many organizations such as the AARP have endorsed it,” said Senator Snowe.
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