U.S. Senate Passes drug re-import law

Bill would legalize bulk buying from Canada

By: CHRISTINA ARANDJELOVIC 

"For the thousands of Americans who currently obtain their prescription drugs from Canada via mail order or cross - border shopping trips, relief could be on the way in the form of new legislation passed recently by U.S.Senate. 
The sweeping proposal which has yet to receive approval from the House of Representatives and the president - would allow American pharmacists and drug wholesalers to re - import prescription drugs from Canada. The move is meant to provide Americans, especially low-in-come seniors, with access to cheaper prescription drugs. 
A similar bill, which received approval from both the Senate and House last year, made it legal for Americans to order drugs by mail from other countries despite the fact that many U.S. residents had already been doing this for years. As a result, Internet pharmacies here in Canada have done steller business. As well, a number of "middle - man" operations have sprung up on both sides of the border - where Americans send their prescriptions to a company which will, in turn, order from certain mail order or Internet pharmacies in Canada. 
In the summer of 2001, as the mail order bill became law, the first version of the re-importation bill was turned down because of the safetly concerns. The Democrats have been vehemently pushing the bill, saying its intention is to put pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers to lower their prices."