Byron Dorgan: “today I am introducing the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003 in the Senate, along with my colleagues, Senators…”

“today I am introducing the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003 in the Senate, along with my colleagues, Senators Snowe, Stabenow, Johnson, Pryor, Dayton, Leahy, Levin, Feingold, McCain, and Jeffords. This legislation is the Senate companion to H.R. 2427, which passed the House of Representatives by a wide, bipartisan 243-186 vote earlier this year. This bill would give Americans the benefit of the global market in purchasing FDA-approved medicines. Rather than paying the highest prices in the world for their prescription drugs, Americans, through their local pharmacist or drug wholesaler, should be able to access FDA-approved medicines from Canada and 24 other major industrialized countries. The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that this legislation would save taxpayers $40.4 billion, including $4.5 billion in savings for the Federal Government. My hope is that the Medicare conferees will include strong drug importation language that will give American consumers immediate relief from high drug prices. If not, however, I will fight to have this bill called up separately in the Senate at the earliest available opportunity.”