Reimportation Amendment Added To Senate FY 2005 Budget Resolution
This article was originally published in The Pink Sheet Daily
Executive Summary
Sen. Stabenow's amendment passes Budget Committee 14-8 with five GOP votes, including Grassley and Gregg. U.S. consumers would save $40 bil. over 10 years.
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A drug reimportation amendment attached to the fiscal 2005 budget resolution passed the Senate Budget Committee March 4. The amendment authorizes HHS to allow "pharmacists and other qualifying individuals" to import FDA-approved prescription drugs "from certain Western countries with strong safety laws." The amendment would save U.S. drug consumers $40 bil. over 10 years and reduce the federal debt $3.3 bil. over five years, the legislation states. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's (D-Mich) amendment passed 14-8 after five Republicans broke ranks to vote for it, including Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Health Committee Chair Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) was the only Democrat to vote against the amendment. The Senate has passed reimportation bills in the past, but only after adding safety requirements that ensure they will not be implemented. The drug import section of the Medicare Rx law contains such a provision. Reimportation has recently seen new life in the Senate. Stabenow and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) threatened to delay a vote to confirm FDA Commissioner McClellan to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services until he addresses "tough questions" on reimportation (1 (Also see "Rx Importation May Be Price For Moving McClellan To CMS" - Pink Sheet, 25 Feb, 2004.)). The budget resolution is expected to reach the Senate floor the week of March 8. - Benjamin Lum, Andrew Dove |