House OKs Prescription Drug Imports

[babylonsister]

House OKs Prescription Drug Imports
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House passed legislation Thursday effectively permitting the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from places such as Canada, Australia and Europe.

The move came as lawmakers passed a $91 billion spending measure funding farm subsidies and nutrition programs for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

The bill, passed by a 237-18 vote, faces a promised veto from President Bush over its price tag, and the administration also opposes the drug importation provision.

The sprawling measure is the final domestic spending bill to pass the House. It contains almost $1 billion more than requested by Bush. But the overall measure is more than $10 billion below comparable costs for the current budget year because it does not contain farm disaster aid and reflects lower crop subsidy costs due to the good farm economy.

The administration "strongly opposes" the drug provision, which would effectively permit individuals, wholesalers and pharmacists to import lower cost U.S.-made and FDA-approved prescription drugs from Canada and other countries.

The White House says there is no system in place to protect consumers from counterfeit or unsafe drugs, but an administration policy statement stops short of an outright veto threat.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-cong/2007/aug/03/080300310.html

[havocmom]

1. WH only protects mega-corporations. They don't give one whit for consumers

and we all know it.

Didn't give a damn about contaminated gluten in baby formula. Didn't give a damn about people in NOLA stuck in that temple of corporate sports. Didn't give a damn about troops in Iraq given untreated river water by Halliburton.

Who the fuck do they think they are kidding.

Bravo for the House! They care about the realities PEOPLE face in America.

[partylessinOhio]

2. Does this open the door for more tainted and poisoned imports from China?

Who is going to protect the lives and health of the patient taking these drugs?

Many drugs are fake and do not contain any medication at all. These fakes can kill people.

[babylonsister]

3. The article mentions AUS, Europe and Canada. I don't know about China. nt

[Rageneau]

4. Bush cares nothing for public safety. His only concern is Big Pharma.

The only reason Bush cares about imports from other countries is that they cut into the obscene profits his supporters make from his anti-liberty stands.