Repeat 50,000
Execute
Dear Mr. ---------------------
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget resolution and efforts to allow the importation of drugs from Canada. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.
The rising cost of prescription drugs has taken a toll on citizens across the country, particularly in Pennsylvania. I understand the difficulties that families face when the medication that can treat a loved one is too expensive. I have supported the importation of drugs from Canada as one way to help consumers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere access cheaper prescription medication and since 2007, have voted several times in favor of drug importation.
On January 11, 2017, the Senate considered S. Con. Res. 3, the FY 2017 budget resolution. During consideration of this resolution, there were votes on three separate amendments related to the importation of prescription medications from Canada. One, S.A. 174, was introduced by Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee; a second, S.A. 178 was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Bernard Sanders of Vermont; and a third, S.A. 188, was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.
I voted against Senator Alexander’s amendment, S.A. 174, because, while it was ostensibly about drug importation, it included unacceptable, partisan provisions regarding the Affordable Care Act. I also voted against S.A. 178 regarding drug importation. S.A. 178 lacked necessary safety precautions and procedures to protect against counterfeit and unsafe drugs and I was concerned that it might lead to the importation of prescription drugs without sufficient safety regulations to protect patients. I voted in favor of S.A. 188 because it spoke to the importance of lowering drug prices generally and specifically noted the importation of drugs from Canada as one means to lower drug prices.
The Senate failed to adopt all three drug importation amendments before passage of S. Con. Res. 3. However, following the consideration of the FY 2017 budget resolution, I worked with Senator Sanders and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey to craft a joint drug importation proposal. I am pleased that, as a result of those discussions, we were able to introduce S. 469, the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act. This bill would allow wholesale distributors, pharmacies and individuals to import prescription drugs from Canada. Critically, S. 469 would require that these drugs be identical to products approved in the United States, manufactured at facilities inspected by the United States Food and Drug Administration, and imported from certified Canadian sellers. The certified foreign seller and the importer must also share certain information about the origination of the drug to help protect the integrity of the supply chain. After two years, the Secretary of Health and Human Services would also have the authority to permit importation from countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that have similar statutory or regulatory standards to the United States for ensuring the safety and efficacy of prescription drugs.
I continue to support the ability of individuals to import prescription medications from Canada, but believe that maintaining the integrity of our drug supply, the safest in the world, is critical. Without the proper safeguards in place to inspect facilities and document the movement of drug products from manufacturer to consumers, our ability to recall products and protect patients is threatened. Unlike S.A. 178, I am confident that S. 469 adequately establishes these protections. I look forward to working with Senator Sanders to ensure that this legislation advances in Congress.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.
For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my web site, http://casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator
I’ve watched countless hearings that did nothing more than waste everyone’s time: the lawmakers, the viewers, and those called to testify
If all your doing is watching tv, then “yes,” this fight is not for you. I’m gonna to goad and tease you now - Even my dog is better backup than that in a fight. Nothing just happens overnight. When it finally does happen, everybody wants to be like, “Wow, that was lucky!” But, its not luck. Its the cummulative effort of many individuals over long periods of time.