Legislative Update: Congress Should Hold Vote on Drug Re-importation in 2004

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Legislative Update: Congress Should Hold Vote on Drug Re-importation in 2004

By Patty Gaul, Director of Legislative Affairs, TREA Senior Citizens League

Despite the failure of Congress to include strong drug “re-importation” language in the new comprehensive Medicare prescription drug bill, the issue shouldn’t be laid to rest. The United States Senate should hold a vote on “re-importation” legislation in 2004. Those were the sentiments of U.S. Representative Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) at a Town Hall meeting held in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Friday, December 5th. Helping to moderate the event was TSCL Legislative Consultant and former Member of Congress, David Funderburk. Also in attendance and voicing his support for allowing market access to prescriptions was Representative Walter Jones (R-NC).

The session, held in the Cumberland County Headquarters Library, offered local seniors an opportunity to learn more about how prescriptions could be imported safely from Canada and several European countries. In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill—introduced by Representative Gutknecht and co-sponsored by Representative Walter Jones—to allow market access to prescription drugs. Despite the advertising barrage by the pharmaceutical industry in opposition to the bill, the legislation (H.R.2427) passed by an overwhelming vote of 243-186. A companion measure, S.1781, has since been introduced in the U.S. Senate. In November, Dr. Funderburk—representing TSCL—testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the bills.

Dr. Funderburk praised both Representative Gutknecht and Jones for their leadership and principled stand in working to provide more affordable, safe prescriptions for seniors. Taking such a strong stance does not come without a price, as the pharmaceutical industry is fighting vehemently against this bill and the allowing of re-importation of prescriptions. Evidence of this was clear at the Town Hall meeting, as several representatives from GlaxoSmithKline—a major pharmaceutical company—attended the event. Those individuals questioned figures that Representative Gutknecht presented regarding the price discrepancy between the United States and other developed nations.

Passage of strong prescription drug importation language is so important because—unlike the Medicare prescription drug bill—it will open the market to cheaper drugs from Canada where prices are about half the U.S. retail price. Using those market forces would greatly reduce the cost of prescriptions for seniors. Speaking on his bill, Representative Gutknecht had this to say, “If the Senate passes it and the President signs it, I think prescription drug prices can drop by 35 percent in the U.S.”

TSCL thanks Representative Gutknecht and Jones for their efforts, and we will continue to work for passage in the Senate in 2004 of this critical legislation.

March 2004