Senate Blocks Bid To Allow Prescription Drug Imports

Senate blocks bid to allow prescription drug imports

business.bostonherald.com

WASHINGTON - The Senate effectively killed a bid to allow consumers to buy their prescription medicines abroad Monday, requiring U.S. officials to certify the safety and effectiveness of such drugs.

The certification amendment, passed on a 49-40 vote, would require health officials to do something they have long said they cannot.

Because of that, the vote undercut a second measure that would permit prescription drug imports from Food and Drug Administration-approved sources in Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan and New Zealand.

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[edit on 7-5-2007 by jsobecky]

I am disappointed by this ruling. Passage of this bill could have translated into billions of dollars of savings for the American consumer. But in the end, the powerful pharmaceutical firms had the influence necessary to keep prices artificially high, at our expense.

business.bostonherald.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well what can we do when most of our bills and laws when it comes to consumers are written by corporate American itself.

When this mega corporations spend millions on lobbyist in Washington rather than helping consumers with the prices on drugs you can imagine that is only regulations what they want.

To keep sucking the consumer dry, then we must ask who lobby for the American people.

Because it seems that when it comes to politicians they serve who can pay the most money to their campaigns.

[edit on 7-5-2007 by marg6043]

Absolutely right, JsoBecky, and i am one of those consumers of overseas drugs with huge savings and i get THE REAL THING not something bootlegged by some toothless wonder in a basement somewhere.

God forbid. the hypocrisy is too much to handle. Dont they want to get rid of 1/3 of earth's population anyway?

Money, Money, Money.$$$$$

The same distributors that distribute drugs HERE distribute across the world with a few exceptions. You can take that to the bank (they do)here.

[edit on 7-5-2007 by dgtempe]

Around here, there are (or were) groups which would organize bus trips to Canada for people to go there and buy their prescriptions at discount prices. I wonder if those trips will now be outlawed?

It's sad to see the public get gouged like this. All in the name of higher profits.:shk:

I went just over the Canadian border to buy some things and was amazed at the low prices. They dont try to pass off anything that is not full strength either. For example, tylenol 3 is sold over the counter in Canada, but very plainly states it is Tylenol 1, which is of course, weaker- but the consumer knows.

Forget about Mexico- even Mexicans crossing the border to visit relatives by car will not bring back any more orders of anything anymore.

Well, if the government regulated the pharmaceutical companies, even a
little, we would'nt have this problem in the first place.

Why do you think the drugs are so cheap in Canada and most of the
civilized world.

Seeing that DG brought up Tylenol No.3, I picked up a script for my mother today the price for 100 T3's was 10.86$. My mother only pays 2.00$ because she has a disability pension.
You also need a prescription for T3's because of the codeine. All other Tylenol 1, 2, and extra strength can be bought over the counter they have no codeine.
Anyway thats the way it is in Ontario I don't know about the other provinces.

But on topic I think it is a shame that the US government would allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of the infirm and aged.
All the almighty buck.

[edit on 8/5/2007 by Sauron]

Sauron, the Tylenol 1 i bought had codeine, but as i said, a very low dose.
I never heard of T2, but i imagine its got a bit more med in it?
BTW, this is an excellent cough suppressant, which is why i bought it.
To me, it was a rush to be able to buy a large bottle for $8 USD!!!

I'm sure its a bit more expensive now? The name of what i got was (I swear) "Tylenol 1 avec Codeine"

Those were the good old days.

IMO this is an example of corporate socialism that US politicians practice which leads to monopoly's. The US certainly isnt the free market economy. Anyone who has seen the effects of competing airlines and airfare wars would know what a healthy dose of competition does to prices.