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Sanders Reintroduces Canadian Prescription Drug Bill. What Will the Corporate Democrats Do This Time?

By Jessie Hellmann, The Hill

06 March 17

 

These are the Senate Democrats who voted against Bernie Sanders Canadian Prescription drug bill in January. You might want to let them know how you feel about that and let them know how you would like them to vote this time: Bennet (D-CO), Booker (D-NJ), Cantwell (D-WA), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Coons (D-DE), Donnelly (D-IN), Heinrich (D-NM), Heitkamp (D-ND), Menendez (D-NJ), Murray (D-WA), Tester (D-MT), Warner (D-VA.)

*NOTE, Cory Booker now says he will support Sanders new bill. You might want to let his office know how much you appreciate that. Diane Feinstein did not vote last time. You might want to encourage her to do so this time.

These are the 12 Republicans who voted for Sanders Canadian Prescription drug bill in January: Boozman (R-AR), Collins (R-ME), Cruz (R-TX), Flake (R-AZ), Grassley (R-IA), Heller (R-NV), Kennedy (R-LA), Lee (R-UT), McCain (R-AZ), Murkowski (R-AK), Paul (R-KY), Thune (R-SD.)

 

en. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other Democratic lawmakers are cranking up the heat on President Trump to address high prescription drug costs.

Sanders introduced a bill Tuesday that would allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies, as long as they meet certain safety standards. 

Trump shouldn't hesitate to support it, lawmakers said, because he campaigned on the promise to bring down drug prices. 

"We're attacking this problem by focusing on ideas that even President Trump says he supports," said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the sponsor of the bill companion bill in the House.

"We're attacking this problem by focusing on ideas that even President Trump says he supports," said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the sponsor of the bill companion bill in the House.

"The president's support for these ideas have been so clear that I'm tempted to introduce a bill in the House named 'The Donald Trump Drug Affordability Act.' I'm sure he would like that."

Sanders's bill would require foreign sellers to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patients also must provide a valid prescription to the Canadian pharmacy they're buying from, and the bill also gives the FDA the authority to shut down "bad actors." 

The bill has 19 Senate co-sponsors, he said, but none are Republicans. 

Still, he said, he expects Republicans to sign on to it, as some have supported drug importation in the past. 

A Sanders amendment voted on last month that would allow people to buy prescription drugs from Canada received the support of 12 Republican senators, including Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.).

Some Democrats voted against the amendment, including Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.) and Mark Heinrich (N.M.), both of who are co-sponsoring Sanders's bill introduced Tuesday. 

They both said their safety concerns have been addressed in the new bill. 

But the bill will still be vehemently opposed by the drug lobby and other organizations. 

The Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America say drugs from other countries do not necessarily meet the U.S. safety standards and could "taint our medical supply." 

Sanders said he expects the drug lobby to put up a big fight, but that he will win this time. 

"Do we expect the pharmaceutical industry will spend an enormous sum of money to oppose this? Of course we do," Sanders said. 

"This is the time. The American people are sick and tired of getting ripped off, and we're going to win this thing." 

Nearly 170 organizations also signed a letter to Congress Tuesday urging Congress to block the bill, citing the "hazards of drug importation." 

“Proposals allowing importation would undermine nearly two decades of drug safety policy," reads the letter, signed by the American Pharmacists Association and other groups. 

"Additionally, a large share of medicines that flow through Canada are counterfeit, and while it may seem safe to import medicines from developed countries like Canada and Western Europe, those medicines may have originated from countries all over the world."