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| Wilson Supports Legislation Allowing Importation of Low Cost Prescription Drugs |
October 05, 2000 |
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| WASHINGTON, DC – WASHINGTON, DC -Congresswoman Heather Wilson applauded an agreement that could lower prescription drug prices for seniors in New Mexico. The agreement, reached between House and Senate negotiators last night, allows U.S.-made prescription drugs to be reimported from other countries where they are often much less expensive to buy.
Under current law, only pharmaceutical manufacturers may reimport prescription medicines in bulk.
The proposal has been vehemently opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, but Congresswoman Wilson and an overwhelming majority of the House approved the provision as part of the Agriculture Appropriations bill earlier this summer. President Clinton has indicated he would accept this agreement.
In order to ensure safety, pharmacists and wholesalers reimporting drugs would have to meet quality standards for shipment and storage at least as strict as those already in place for manufacturers, as well as FDA-overseen testing and record-keeping requirements.
“I want to bring down the costs of prescription drugs in New Mexico and this agreement will be a significant step in doing so,” said Wilson. “In addition to working to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, I believe it is imperative that we add prescription drug coverage to Medicare. We should set politics aside and pass a drug benefit for seniors in the final days of this legislative session. No senior should ever have to choose between food and medicine. All seniors should be able to get the medication they need at prices they can afford to lead healthy and active lives.”
Initially drugs will only be reimported from a limited number of countries -- though the Department of Health and Human Services would be free to add to that list -- and would have to be labeled as reimports. But the drugs would not be required to be sold under different brand names or physically segregated in pharmacies.
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