States continue push for Canadian drugs

[Hobarticus]

By William M. Welch, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — States leading the drive for legal purchases of lower-cost medicines from Canada are not backing down despite threats by federal regulators. One state health official accuses the Bush administration of raising "bogus" safety concerns to protect drugmakers' profits.

More than a dozen states are moving ahead with various programs. Some would direct their residents to approved drug sources in Canada. Some states intend to buy the drugs for state workers and retirees or help pharmacies purchase them.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Health and Human Services Department have threatened lawsuits and even criminal action to stop the states' plans.

(snip)

"This is going to be an unenforceable law," says Kevin Concannon, Iowa's director of human services. "The statements they make about consumer safety or drug safety are the most bogus words I've seen spoken from a government agency. ... There's more protection of pharmaceutical manufacturers than there is of patients."

(snip)

No state has directly challenged the administration's interpretation of the law yet, but state officials say federal regulators would have to back down. "It would just create a firestorm," Concannon says. "They would lose in the court of public opinion."

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, hopes to begin a program next year authorizing local pharmacists to buy drugs from Canada.

Officials in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Illinois are developing programs to import cheaper drugs from Canada or to point consumers to approved Canadian retailers.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-12-31-canada-drugs_x.htm

Come to Iowa, folks! Lotsa room, and the people are friendly!

[denverbill]

1. This is really cool.

This could be a MAJOR MAJOR issue. If idiot-boy and his corporate masters keep hammering away at this, there are going to be MILLIONS of angry seniors that will vote his sorry ass out of office so fast.


And as a former Hawkeye, I can attest to your statements about Iowa:).

[Blue Gardener]

2. Vilsack's a Good Guy

Met him a couple of months ago. He's just trying to figure out how to balance the budget like the rest of the states are (thanks George).

[teryang]

3. I don't think the repuke executive will back down

I don't see any evidence of that at all. Some republicans in Congress have been complaining about this for some time Dan Burton and a Rep. from Colorado. Other than that, I see corporate drug gouging of American markets from sea to shining sea.

[Moderator]

4. Hobarticus

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you


DU Moderator

[yellowcanine]

5. Prescription Drugs - the sleeper issue of 2004

This is the one issue that Bush has misplayed big time AND the Democrats seem to be playing correctly - at least so far.