Resolution on Wholesale Drug Importation Programs
| Model Bill Info | |
|---|---|
| Bill Title | Resolution on Wholesale Drug Importation Programs |
| Date Introduced | July 16, 2019 |
| Type | Model Resolution |
| Status | Final |
| Task Forces | Health and Human Services |
Resolution on Wholesale Drug Importation Programs
WHEREAS, twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults polled in February 2019 reported not taking their medicines as prescribed at some point in the past year because of the cost, and eight percent say their condition got worse as a result of not taking their prescription as recommended, and
WHEREAS, in many cases, manufacturers are making available for sale FDA-approved drugs in other countries at significantly lower prices than U.S. citizens are asked to pay, and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that eight percent of adults (19 million people) in the U.S. imported medication from other countries in 2016, and
WHEREAS, many U.S. citizens living near the Canadian or Mexican border routinely save money by purchasing and legally importing FDA-approved drugs from our neighboring countries, and
WHEREAS, a wholesale importation program could extend savings to many more U.S. citizens, including those that live far from the border, by reducing transactions costs and barriers, and
WHEREAS, mechanisms and processes can be developed to ensure that FDA-approved drugs imported through a wholesale importation program would be just as safe as the current drug supply, and
WHEREAS, eighty percent of Americans polled in February 2019 favor allowing Americans to buy drugs imported from Canada, and
WHEREAS, state and federal policymakers increasingly see importation as a mechanism for improving market function, with four states enacting importation laws in the last two years, and
WHEREAS, federal law permits the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve wholesale importation programs under certain circumstances,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the state of {insert state} supports the continued ability of states to request permission from the federal government to create wholesale prescription drug importation programs that comply with federal law, provide additional competition, benefit consumers with lower prices, and preserve the integrity and safety of the drug supply and encourages the federal government to help those states develop programs that comply with federal requirements on cost and safety.
