Republicans give impetus to drug import measures

[Judi Lynn]

Republicans give impetus to drug import measures
By Holly Yeager in Washington and Christopher Bowe in New York
Published: February 1 2005 02:00 | Last updated: February 1 2005 02:00

The strengthened Republican majority in Congress is giving fresh momentum to measures that would allow the importation of less expensive prescription drugs.

Bill Frist, the physician who is the Senate majority leader, and Mike Enzi, the Wyoming Republican who chairs the health, education, labour and pensions committee, agreed last week to hold hearings within 90 days on one of those bills.

That does not guarantee that Republican leaders in Congress, who have largely opposed such measures, would allow it to come to a vote. But it has encouraged backers of the legislation.

"We are determined to pass drug importation legislation in the Senate this year in order to put downward pressure on prescription drug prices," said Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat who, with Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican, has authored one of this year's drug importation proposals.
(snip/...)

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/0f77e61a-73f7-11d9-b705-00000e2511c8.html