4. All U.S. lawmakers agree that the F.D.A. case against reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada is correct.

• Rodham Clinton has co-sponsored a bill to reimburse states and pharmacies that are providing drug coverage to dual eligibles who have been unable to obtain needed medications. (January 25, 2006 - Medical News Today)


• Governor's endorsement verifies that drug importation from Canada is inherently safe and cost effective. Licensed Canadian pharmacies have already demonstrated an impeccable track record by delivering affordable drugs to millions of Americans. (January 5, 2006 - Emediawire.com)


• Gestures by Governor Schwarzenegger and others only confirm that drug importation from Canada is a feasible option for Americans regardless of legislative status. (January 5, 2005 - Emediawire.com)


• Democratic legislators Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak) and Andy Meisner (D-Ferndale), along with other local Democratic legislators, announced a plan to introduce legislation for Michiganders to purchase re-imported prescription drugs. (July 28, 2005 - Clawson Mirror)


• Rep. Paul Condino (D-Southfield) and Rep. Clarence Phillips (D-Pontiac) agree to introduce legislation in the House that would allow Michigan to participate in what is known as the I-SaveRx program. (July 28, 2005 - Farmington Observer)


• Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and other lawmakers have introduced legislation that would bar U.S. trade representatives from forging agreements that would block the importation of prescription drugs. (July 29, 2005 - Wood TV)


• Rep. Anne Northup is joining forces with a bipartisan group of House Members and senators in an effort to allow imports of cheaper prescription drugs. Northup said the pharmaceutical industry secured the bans on drug imports in the recent trade agreements as part of an effort to preserve high drug prices in the U.S. market. (July 29, 2005 - Kentucky Courier- Journal)


• What the Democrats want is to have Michigan join Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Vermont and Kansas in the I-Save Rx Program. The program reimports about 150 popular brand-name drugs manufactured in the United States at savings of between 25 percent and 50 percent. (July 27, 2005 - Oakland Press)


• Canada's regulatory system is considered comparable to the United States. When you walk into a Canadian pharmacy, you can be confident you're getting drugs approved by Health Canada. (Bella Online - December 21, 2004)


• Eight states, several cities and the District of Columbia operate similar programs in opposition to the Bush administration’s stance that prescription drug imports can be unsafe. (September 7, 2005 - Las Vegas SUN)


• Drug imports from countries that have the same standards as the United States should be allowed. But the only nation that currently qualifies under that standard is Canada. (CBS Market Watch - December 21, 2004)


• Canada is the only country in a position to serve as foreign supplier of reliable prescription drugs. (San Francisco Gate - December 22, 2004)


• Americans think that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides tight oversight ensuring the safety and efficacy of drugs. But the FDA lacks the authority and resources to do this job well. The FDA and its European counterparts can demand that pharmaceutical companies provide them with data to show that drugs are efficacious. But they have no mandate to show that drugs are efficacious. (American Scientist Online - December 22, 2004)


• Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich proposes to join other U.S. mayors and state leaders who allow government employees to buy Canadian drugs, even though federal law prohibits importing prescription medication. (Anchorage Daily News - October 26, 2004)


• Canada’s manufacturing and regulatory system is comparable to that of the United States. (September 18, 2005 – Ashbury Park Press)


• What’s more, the study concluded that Canada’s pricing and distribution system – in which medications are dispensed mainly in typical doses and shipped in sealed packages directly from the manufacturer to pharmacy – is less likely to foster the drug counterfeiting that concerns the FDA. (September 18, 2005 – Ashbury Park Press)


• Indeed, in a June 2004 report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said that all of the prescription drugs it ordered from Canadian Internet pharmacies contained the proper chemical compositions, were shipped in accordance with special handling and arrived undamaged. (September 18, 2005 – Ashbury Park Press)


• Many Americans, meanwhile, believe that buying from Canada, where a government review board has the authority to limit drug prices it deems excessive, is no more dangerous than picking up a prescription at a local drugstore. (September 18, 2005 – Ashbury Park Press)


• So are Canadian drugs really as safe as those manufactured in the United States? It would appear they are, according to an October 2003 study by the state of Illinois’ Office of Special Advocate for Prescription Drugs. (September 18, 2005 – Ashbury Park Press)


• Attorneys General from 18 states have called on Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to allow states to import prescription drugs from Canada. (Turnto10.com June 29, 2004)


• Arizona Sen. John McCain blasted the pharmaceutical industry and criticized a Bush administration-backed Medicare prescription drug benefit during remarks to health care executives in Phoenix on Thursday. (August 25, 2005 - San Francisco Business Times)


• Eight states, several cities and the District of Columbia operate similar programs in opposition to the Bush administration's stance that prescription drug imports can be unsafe. (August 26, 2005 - Stephens Media Group)


• As the mayor of Springfield, Mass., Michael Albano helped launch his city's Canada drug re-importation program. Its second anniversary will be July 7 and the city has saved about $8.5 million, he said. (June 29, 2005 - Gazette.net)


• Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn has signed a bill that helps consumers buy prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. (June 20, 2005 - Reno Gazette-Journal)


• The House of Representatives is currently considering two pieces of legislation that would legalize the importation of prescription drugs from foreign countries. (June 22, 2005 - U.S. Newswire)


• The U.S. House barred the Bush administration from including any language in trade agreements that, block prescription-drug imports to the U.S. (June 16, 2005 - Bloomberg)


• The Health Department has drafted regulations intended to make it safe for Rhode Islanders to buy drugs imported from Canada, as the department moves closer to implementing Rhode Island's first-in-the-nation law allowing the state to license Canadian pharmacies. (June 13, 2005 - The Providence Journal)


• Minnesotans now may order prescription drugs from the United Kingdom as well as Canada through the state's online prescription drug program, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced. (June 10, 2005 - Minneapolis Star Tribune)


• A Senate panel voted in favor of a bill to help Nevadans buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada. The measure mandates that members of the state Board of Pharmacy visit Canada and license pharmacies to Nevada standards. The Office of Consumer Health Assistance would then set up a Web site listing the approved pharmacies and offering information to help Nevadans buy drugs from Canada. (Las Vegas Review-Journal - May 21, 2005)


• More than 200 congressman, Republicans, and Democrats, are supporting legislation (H.R. 328) that would allow pharmacies, wholesalers and individuals to legally import prescription drugs into the United States. (Daily Southtown - May 27, 2005)


• Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn) plans to deliver a letter today to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) signed by 219 members urging the Speaker to schedule a vote on legislation allowing the reimportation of prescription drugs. (The Hill - May 26, 2005)


• Texans could buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada under a bill tentatively approved in the state House of Representatives. It would require the pharmacy board to inspect no more than 10 Canadian pharmacies and make sure they meet FDA, Texas and Canadian standards as well as safe-shipping codes. Information about those pharmacies and how to order prescription drugs would be listed on the board’s website. (Canada.com - May 23, 2005)


• At least five new Republican senators and two new Democratic senators support importation in some form, adding to the conviction that if a bill reaches the floor it could have the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster. (Washington Bureau ? May 16, 2005)


• Eight U.S. representatives and senators, including five Republicans, introduced a bill that would allow Americans to import cheaper drugs from Canada and other countries. (January 26, 2005 - Bloomberg News)


• The Rhode Island state Health Department has approved regulations allowing Rhode Island to license Canadian pharmacies. The new regulations were filed at the secretary of state's office. (Associated Press - December 31, 2004)


• Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston has filed a bill that would allow Texas consumers to order prescriptions from Canadian pharmacies. The bill would allow the state to license pharmacies approved by the Canadian government so they can ship prescription drugs to Texans. (Lone Star Times - January 3, 2005)

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