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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Carragher who wrote (14487)	10/30/2003 8:35:57 AM
From: John Carragher	Respond to of 793659

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Congress struggles to come up with a way to make prescription drugs more affordable, Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, isn't waiting around to see what they do. He's about to make Minnesota the first state to re-import cheaper prescription drugs into the United States from Canada. Politicians on both sides of the aisle agree that it's time to do something to reduce the rising costs of prescription drugs. Candidates in several states in 2002 traveled with busloads of seniors heading north to Canada to demonstrate they were fed up with the high costs of prescription drugs. This year both the House and Senate responded, passing separate bills to allow for the re-importation of prescription drugs. But action is stalled now as the conference committee tries to work out the differences between the two bills. Pawlenty, along with a handful of mayors and governors, participated in a congressional field hearing in Boston on Tuesday to discuss their plans to move forward with or without congressional approval. They maintain they already have the legal authority to launch their own programs to buy prescription drugs from countries outside the United States. Pawlenty told me on Tuesday's "Live From" that this was "the prescription medicine equivalent of the Boston Tea Party." He argued that people want action on this issue now: "This is not an ideal solution, but it will bring some near-term relief," he said. "And, as importantly, it will push the federal government to make some reforms, which are inevitable. I think the current system is going to fall. It's just a question of when and how now." The Food and Drug Administration has fought this effort, arguing that re-importation could jeopardize safety because prescription drugs from other countries are not be subject to the same safeguards as those purchased in the United States. The biotechnology industry, which was not invited to participate in Tuesday's hearing in Boston, also opposes re-importation. Janice Bourque, president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council said, "Importing drugs from other countries that set artificially low prices will hinder the nation's ability to develop innovative medicines. If the U.S. biotech industry does not continue to drive innovation, who will?" Pawlenty acknowledged that Americans were willing to pay for research and development, but he disagreed that this would hurt U.S. companies. "There's a difference between paying a premium and being taken advantage of. I'm a conservative. I'm for free markets," he said. "But what's going on in the rest of the world isn't free markets. We also have the opportunity to take, for once, the advantage of globalization to our benefit. I'm a Republican. Let's go out into the world market and try to get a better deal for Americans." There's evidence that re-importation could be political issue in the next election cycle. In next week's Kentucky governor's race, one that political watchers are calling a bellwether for 2004, the Democratic challenger Ben Chandler is trying to make an issue of his opponent's, Republican Rep. Ernie Fletcher's, vote against the House re-importation bill.