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May 7, 2007
Monday, May 7, 2007
Senate Vote on Reimportation a Win for the Big Drug Companies Over Vulnerable Seniors
Safety Issue Just a Shameful Cover for Drug Industry’s Real Concern: Profits
The following statement was issued today by Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans:
“Today’s vote on prescription drug reimportation legislation in the U.S. Senate is a major disappointment. The Cochran amendment to the Dorgan amendment of bill S. 3 requires the FDA to certify that the drugs are safe, effectively killing reimportation. The Bush Administration has shown in the past that they will use this law as an excuse to give the drug companies what they want: skyrocketing prices and outrageous profits.
“Safety cannot be the reason that the drug companies have fought so hard against this legislation. The Dorgan amendment already included quality measures to insure that the Food and Drug Administration approve the drugs and the facilities where they are manufactured. Additionally, the imported drugs must be packaged and shipped using approved counterfeit-resistant technologies.
“Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world. Older Americans and people with disabilities are particularly hard hit by the high costs of prescription drugs in this country because they have more acute and chronic illnesses.
“The Alliance for Retired Americans is all for rigorous safety standards when it comes to prescription drugs. Where we draw the line, however, is shamefully using those standards as a shield to keep drug company profits sky-high.
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Contact: Michael Buckley, 202/637-5190 or mbuckley@retiredamericans.org