Gilbert Gutknecht: “Ultimately, if we open up the markets and we allow American consumers to have access to prescription drugs at world…”

“Ultimately, if we open up the markets and we allow American consumers to have access to prescription drugs at world market prices, I believe that this simple little amendment, once fully implemented, could save American consumers $30 billion. I may be wrong, it may be $28 billion, it may be $31 billion, but even here in Washington, that is a lot of money. If one is a consumer that needs a drug, like that lady with that ointment, and one can save $1,200 a year buying the same drug that comes from the same manufacturer from the same FDA-approved facility simply by picking up a phone and making a $2 phone call to Ireland, I do not think we as public policymakers should stand idly by and allow our own FDA to stand between American consumers, and particularly American senior consumers, we should not and cannot stand idly by and allow our own FDA to stand between those people and lower prescription drug prices. Some say a Medicare drug benefit will eliminate the need for importation and open markets. Mr. Speaker, if we think about that argument for even a moment we will realize that simply shifting high drug prices to the government only transfers these huge pharmaceutical bills to the American taxpayers.”