U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) is working on a bill to help lower prescription drug costs for West Virginians. Rahall and many of his colleagues urged the Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, to schedule a vote on a comprehensive drug importation bill during the new session of Congress.

"We need to have a plan for safe and effective drug importation. There is no reason that our seniors should be paying such outrageous prices for their medicine, when the same American drugs are sold for lower prices in Canada," said Rahall. "A delay in this helps nobody, which is why I am urging Speaker Hastert to schedule a vote soon."

In the last session of Congress, H.R. 2427, the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act, passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 243 to 186. The bill died in the Senate without a vote.

"There is wide support for this bill in the House," Rahall continued. "We should pass the bill and put it back in the Senate. Let us hope the Republicans in control of the Senate will understand its importance to our seniors, and bring it up for a vote on the Senate floor."

"During the flu shot shortage late last year, the Department of Health and Human Services purchased more flu vaccines directly from a German company," Rahall noted. "If we can do this safely, then we surely can come up with a plan to get back prescription drugs that were made in the U.S. and shipped overseas."

Many of the drugs the bill will focus on for importation were produced in the United States and exported to other countries. These drugs are sold for staggering prices by the pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., but these same companies are setting much lower prices for the same drugs in other countries. Importing prescription drugs at this lower price will create a more competitive market. Drug importation has been endorsed by consumer groups, pharmacies, and advocacy organizations; such as the AARP (American Association of Retired Peoples), Alliance of Retired Americans, American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.