Friday, September 22, 2006

Canada - The US's discount pharmacy

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives tentatively agreed Thursday to prohibit customs agents from seizing prescription drugs that Americans buy in Canada and bring back into the U.S.

The deal would let an American carry up to a 90-day supply of medication into the U.S. from Canada without being stopped by customs agents, House and Senate Republicans said. It wouldn't let Americans buy cheaper prescriptions over the Internet or by mail-order, officials said.

"This really breaks the dam, and it shows that it's only a matter of time before we pass a full-blown reimportation bill," said Republican Sen. David Vitter, who led the fight in the Senate to prohibit the Homeland Security Department from seizing prescription drugs being carried over the border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is an arm of the Homeland Security Department.

Sen. Vitter acknowledged that sales of drugs through mail order or the Internet is significant. But, he added, "I think support for that is going to continue, and going to continue to grow, no matter what this bill says or doesn't say."

WSJ

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