Senate OKs Import Prescription Drug Plan

The Senate opened the way Tuesday to let Americans import prescription drugs into the United States from Canada, seeking to ease a regulatory ban on cheaper medicine crossing the border.

The proposal, which was approved 68-32, would create a Canadian loophole on a Food and Drug Administration ban on importing prescription medicine into the United States. It was offered as part of a $31.7 billion Homeland Security Department spending blueprint for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

The department's Customs and Border Protection bureau began aggressively seizing Tamiflu, Viagra and other incoming prescription medications at borders in November. Prescription drugs - even those manufactured in the United States - are generally sold at cheaper prices in Canada.

``We should demand that (Customs and Border Protection) focus on the true priority that we face on the war on terror,'' said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., of efforts to secure U.S. borders. ``Stripping small amounts of prescription drugs from the hands of seniors .... that should not be a priority.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5944547,00.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060711/ap_on_go_co/cheaper_drugs_3

:rofl:

and its such a joy to hear david vitter (the rick santorum of Louisiana) blathering on about the concerns of human beings. He could not possibly care less about the drug needs and costs passed on to the elderly in America. He's a typical republican puke.

would cost me $183 a month here for about $95 from Canada.

and you might get below 20 bucks.

My monthly bill went from $400.00 to around $60.00.

......Vitter's plan, which was embraced by Democrats, specifically would prohibit Customs and Border Protection from stopping people with doctors' prescriptions for FDA-approved drugs from bringing the medicine into this country from Canada.

But Republican leaders vociferously opposed the plan for fear, they said, the drugs could be unsafe for consumers — or even present a terror risk.

Sen. Judd Gregg (news, bio, voting record), R-N.H., said the proposal was an attempt to push the FDA into reversing itself while "creating a massive hole on our capacity to secure our borders and protect ourselves."

"If I were a creative terrorist, I would say to myself, 'Hey, listen, all I've got to do is produce a can here that says '
Lipitor' on it, make it look like the original Lipitor bottle, which isn't too hard to do, fill it with anthrax," Gregg said.

Lipitor is a cholesterol-lowering drug.

Aides warned that the drug import plan was likely to be stripped out of the legislation — as it has been in past years — whenever it got to a conference of House and Senate lawmakers who will negotiate the final version. The administration also has opposed efforts to loosen the restrictions.

Aides warned that the drug import plan was likely to be stripped out of the legislation — as it has been in past years — whenever it got to a conference of House and Senate lawmakers who will negotiate the final version. The administration also has opposed efforts to loosen the restrictions.

Not to worry. This administration won't investigate terrorist attacks involving anthrax, so "no investigation...no problem."

I have a very hard time seeing this come to pass. Is the shrub really going to okay these lower cost drugs coming into the states, I think not... He has the drug companies yelling in his ears...

are lying hypocrites. They certainly aren't thinking about our safety when they approve of dirtier air, polluted water, and let big corporations get away with anything they want, including ignoring safety regulations. Their concern is actually for their own contributions from lobbyists. We can have more arsenic in the drinking water, but we can't import drugs from Canada? Bastards.

Oh that's right, he's a statist in libertarian clothing.

Let all Americans import their drugs from Canada. Why not face the problem and FIX it, ya cowards?

I have been getting my elderly Aunt's prescriptions filled by mail
from Canada, etc., with a mail order Company that finds the lowest
prices.

She recently signed up for the gov't "prescription care benefit".
At the time I looked into it, it appeared that she would be able
to purchase brand name drugs here in America, for about the same
price she was paying for generics from out of the country.

Will the prescription insurance be able to be used on these out
of country drugs?

Anyone?

Anyone else in the same situation do the math already?

Something the drug companies had specifically pushed into the bogus prescription plan.

BTW, saw a report the other day that a lot of seniors are going to hit the "doughnut hole" in upcoming months. Since virtually all Dems voted against this abortion, it should make a great campaign issue.

Americans AND Canadians get ripped on drug prices...