Bush team says drug imports too costly

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http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national & story_id=122204b1_drugimpor\

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Bush team says drug imports too costly

Assuring safety of cheaper medicines from abroad 'extraordinarily

difficult.'

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - A Bush administration task force recommended strongly yesterday

against permitting U.S. citizens to import lower-cost prescription drugs

from other countries, saying " it would be extraordinarily difficult and

costly " to assure safety.

The finding, while expected, was a blow to advocates of legalizing a

practice that is already widespread. Tens of thousands of Americans,

particularly seniors who lack a drug benefit through Medicare, have gone to

Canada or arranged mail purchases of drugs from that country. The federal

government has not stopped most drugs imported for personal use, but the

threat of prosecution remains.

Canada's government imposes price controls that make many big-name drugs,

including some made in the United States, significantly cheaper than is

commonly available to U.S. citizens. Prescription drug prices in the United

States are generally higher than anywhere else in the world. But the report

said generic drugs - those on which patents have run out - " are usually less

expensive in the U.S. than abroad. "

The finding comes after an election campaign in which candidates for

Congress in both parties supported legalized importation, and big American

drug makers became targets of criticism for their pricing policies.

Even President Bush, whose administration has blocked legalizing

importation, had suggested during a debate with Democratic nominee

Kerry that he was open to legal importation if safety could be assured. " If

they're safe, they're coming, " Bush said then.

The administration report said large-scale commercial importation by U.S.

businesses might be safely permissible, but only after expensive new systems

of safety monitoring and verification were established. Even then, it said,

overall savings would likely be small.

The report to Congress was prepared by a task force consisting entirely of

Bush administration appointees.

[Guest guest]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national & story_id=122204b1_drugimpor\

ts

Bush team says drug imports too costly

Assuring safety of cheaper medicines from abroad 'extraordinarily

difficult.'

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - A Bush administration task force recommended strongly yesterday

against permitting U.S. citizens to import lower-cost prescription drugs

from other countries, saying " it would be extraordinarily difficult and

costly " to assure safety.

The finding, while expected, was a blow to advocates of legalizing a

practice that is already widespread. Tens of thousands of Americans,

particularly seniors who lack a drug benefit through Medicare, have gone to

Canada or arranged mail purchases of drugs from that country. The federal

government has not stopped most drugs imported for personal use, but the

threat of prosecution remains.

Canada's government imposes price controls that make many big-name drugs,

including some made in the United States, significantly cheaper than is

commonly available to U.S. citizens. Prescription drug prices in the United

States are generally higher than anywhere else in the world. But the report

said generic drugs - those on which patents have run out - " are usually less

expensive in the U.S. than abroad. "

The finding comes after an election campaign in which candidates for

Congress in both parties supported legalized importation, and big American

drug makers became targets of criticism for their pricing policies.

Even President Bush, whose administration has blocked legalizing

importation, had suggested during a debate with Democratic nominee

Kerry that he was open to legal importation if safety could be assured. " If

they're safe, they're coming, " Bush said then.

The administration report said large-scale commercial importation by U.S.

businesses might be safely permissible, but only after expensive new systems

of safety monitoring and verification were established. Even then, it said,

overall savings would likely be small.

The report to Congress was prepared by a task force consisting entirely of

Bush administration appointees.

[Guest guest]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national & story_id=122204b1_drugimpor\

ts

Bush team says drug imports too costly

Assuring safety of cheaper medicines from abroad 'extraordinarily

difficult.'

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - A Bush administration task force recommended strongly yesterday

against permitting U.S. citizens to import lower-cost prescription drugs

from other countries, saying " it would be extraordinarily difficult and

costly " to assure safety.

The finding, while expected, was a blow to advocates of legalizing a

practice that is already widespread. Tens of thousands of Americans,

particularly seniors who lack a drug benefit through Medicare, have gone to

Canada or arranged mail purchases of drugs from that country. The federal

government has not stopped most drugs imported for personal use, but the

threat of prosecution remains.

Canada's government imposes price controls that make many big-name drugs,

including some made in the United States, significantly cheaper than is

commonly available to U.S. citizens. Prescription drug prices in the United

States are generally higher than anywhere else in the world. But the report

said generic drugs - those on which patents have run out - " are usually less

expensive in the U.S. than abroad. "

The finding comes after an election campaign in which candidates for

Congress in both parties supported legalized importation, and big American

drug makers became targets of criticism for their pricing policies.

Even President Bush, whose administration has blocked legalizing

importation, had suggested during a debate with Democratic nominee

Kerry that he was open to legal importation if safety could be assured. " If

they're safe, they're coming, " Bush said then.

The administration report said large-scale commercial importation by U.S.

businesses might be safely permissible, but only after expensive new systems

of safety monitoring and verification were established. Even then, it said,

overall savings would likely be small.

The report to Congress was prepared by a task force consisting entirely of

Bush administration appointees.

[Guest guest]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national & story_id=122204b1_drugimpor\

ts

Bush team says drug imports too costly

Assuring safety of cheaper medicines from abroad 'extraordinarily

difficult.'

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - A Bush administration task force recommended strongly yesterday

against permitting U.S. citizens to import lower-cost prescription drugs

from other countries, saying " it would be extraordinarily difficult and

costly " to assure safety.

The finding, while expected, was a blow to advocates of legalizing a

practice that is already widespread. Tens of thousands of Americans,

particularly seniors who lack a drug benefit through Medicare, have gone to

Canada or arranged mail purchases of drugs from that country. The federal

government has not stopped most drugs imported for personal use, but the

threat of prosecution remains.

Canada's government imposes price controls that make many big-name drugs,

including some made in the United States, significantly cheaper than is

commonly available to U.S. citizens. Prescription drug prices in the United

States are generally higher than anywhere else in the world. But the report

said generic drugs - those on which patents have run out - " are usually less

expensive in the U.S. than abroad. "

The finding comes after an election campaign in which candidates for

Congress in both parties supported legalized importation, and big American

drug makers became targets of criticism for their pricing policies.

Even President Bush, whose administration has blocked legalizing

importation, had suggested during a debate with Democratic nominee

Kerry that he was open to legal importation if safety could be assured. " If

they're safe, they're coming, " Bush said then.

The administration report said large-scale commercial importation by U.S.

businesses might be safely permissible, but only after expensive new systems

of safety monitoring and verification were established. Even then, it said,

overall savings would likely be small.

The report to Congress was prepared by a task force consisting entirely of

Bush administration appointees.