Reducing the Cost of Prescription DrugsIn March 2009, Senator Dorgan introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME), John McCain (R-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and others to bring down the high cost of prescription drugs in this country.
Bill Summary
Making the importation of drugs from abroad legal, seems the logical result of ever-increasing "illegal" drug importation. Some studies suggest that consumers can save 25% or more on brand name drugs. Consider this 2008 comparison of the price of Lipitor: At CVS, a leading U.S. pharmacy, Lipitor (40mg/90 tablets) costs $361.99. At Drugstore.com, another U.S. pharmacy, the same drug costs $335.97. While in Canada at CanadianOnlineRx.com pharmacy, the cost is $215.46, and in India at licensed pharmacy InternationalDrugMart.com, the identical generic drug costs $120.94.
ReplyDeleteU.S. Customs estimates 10 million U.S. citizens bring in medications at land borders each year. An additional 2 million packages of pharmaceuticals arrive annually by international mail from Thailand, India, South Africa and other points.