Pharmaceutical deal holding up bipartisan health amendment

[t0dd]

Source: TheHill

A deal between the White House and the pharmaceutical industry is holding up a bipartisan amendment to allow the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from abroad, according to a member of the Senate Democratic leadership.

The Senate has been debating the amendment, sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), since Tuesday but has not held a vote, which is contributing to a stall in the floor action on healthcare reform.

Dorgan’s measure, which would permit bulk exports of medicines from countries such as Canada, enjoys broad and bipartisan support and likely has the backing of more than 60 senators, which would guarantee its adoption on the healthcare reform bill.

Tension between the White House and Democratic supporters of the so-called drug reimportation amendment is primarily behind the delay, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Thursday.

“There’s a political subtext here,” Durbin said. “It has to do with whether or not we can do as part of the impact on pharma in this bill and whether or not there are other things that are higher priorities.”

The White House and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) struck a deal this summer to limit the drug industry’s financial exposure under reform to $80 billion over 10 years, though its terms have never been fully disclosed.

President Barack Obama was one of the 35 co-sponsors of Dorgan’s drug reimportation legislation when Obama served in the Senate. In addition, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was a leading supporter of the House version of the bill when he served in the lower chamber.

“Many of us support it but wonder if this is the right venue,” Durbin said, but “we don’t want to slow down this bill or stop it over what is an important issue but, I think, takes second place to the overall healthcare reform.”

Asked Wednesday whether the Democratic leadership was whipping its members to support or oppose the Dorgan amendment, Durbin said, “Well, we asked. There was a question asked of members through staff as to how they were inclined but it isn’t like we’re buttonholing people, yes or no, and saying ‘Vote the other way.’”

Several Democratic senators are objecting to moving ahead with the vote because they believe the amendment has enough support to prevail, said Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Dorgan’s lead co-sponsor.

“I suspect we haven't had a vote yet because they know it has the votes to pass,” she said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/71767-pharmaceutical-deal-holding-up-bipartisan-health-amendment

---

Ask not, what you can do for your country, ask what's in it for Big Pharma.. :patriot: :puke:

[andym]

1. White house is supposedly taking a hands off approach with HCR

letting congress do it....

So let hopefully the amendment gets voted on soon.

Since the WH isn't in charge they can't guarantee any deals...

[Cleita]

2. Rule by the minority again.

We don't need to import cheaper drugs. We need to make big PhrMA sell us the same drugs for the same price they sell them to every other country in the world. Big government could do that if it were operated separate from the corporate lobbyists.

[Bozita]

3. Billy Tauzin rules

Billy likes money.

A lot!

He's gone from the House. But the sonofabitch is still ruling ... as a lobbyist.

Billy Tauzin is simply TOO BIG TO FAIL!

[napi21]

4. My medicare ins. broker told me that confiscation of drugs from

Canada is not being done anymore. He said they stopped that when Shrub did some signing statement about 2 years ago. I never heard that before, but the broker said he buys all his diabetes meds & his Lipitor from Canada online. I've not tried that yet, but if it's true, maybe we shouldn't be fighting so hard over this?

[katkat]

5. Canada

As far as I know, meds from Canada are not confiscated. However, all is not rosy. When I tried to get my last prescription refilled, I was told by the pharmacy that the manufacturer was no longer selling to Canadian pharmacies who sold to U.S. customers.

That's a reputable pharmacy, I picked it because some state checked out Canadian pharmacies and said their employees could buy from four of them, one of which this was. The best they could do was offer an alternative made in India. That sat on my kitchen counter for some weeks while I dithered about risking it and finally threw it out.

[pattmarty]

8. I have been taking Plavix (generic form) from India for over 10 yrs...............

.............and I ain't fucking dead yet. Where do you think a lot of drugs are manufactured? In the US? Ha, ha, ha, aren't you deluded.

[katkat]

10. dear deluded pattmarty

Both meds I take regularly are manufactured in Japan. You think I buy stuff without knowing where it comes from? Ha, ha, ha, aren't you deluded.

[pattmarty]

11. I was being sarcastic about most people thinking EVERY drug..............

..............ever made was made in the greatest, bestest fucking country on earth. I wasn't busting on you, but on everyone that thinks that sliced bread, the best medical breakthroughs and everything good and godly was and is still being made in the USA.

[pattmarty]

7. It's against the fucking law!!!!!!!!! We HAVE to fight on this!!!

[pattmarty]

6. This is simply fucking disgusting. The Republicans couldn't have...........

..........done a better job for PHRMA. I am fucking fed up with Obama and it ain't even a year in office yet. My wife and I have been buying our more expensive drugs from Canada for over 10 yrs and we ain't dead yet. This is just one of many things about our twice as expensive and shittier healthcare "system" that really pisses me off.

[meow2u3]

9. THESE are the drug dealers we should be locking up

Big Pharma shaking down Americans, especially those who need meds the most, is the real villain. Lock up Billy Tauzin!