Twelve states explore ways to buy Canadian drugs and not break U.S. law

By Mark Niesse
The Associated Press

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Representatives from the states met with five Canadian drug companies at an Atlanta hotel yesterday to hear their pitch on how to sell the drugs safely and within the law.

The meeting comes two days after Boston and New Hampshire announced their intention to purchase drugs from Canada.

Representatives of Illinois, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, Vermont, Ohio, Delaware and Louisiana did not suggest they would make a similar move — buying Canadian drugs without government approval for state employees and for people on Medicaid and other assistance programs. But they want to find ways to persuade the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow more drug importation and eventually make it legal.

The Canadian drug companies told state officials they could offer dozens of drugs for as much as 40 percent to 60 percent less than they cost in the United States. Drugs in Canada are significantly cheaper because of government price controls.

"Drugs are cheaper in Canada — how do we bring these drugs into the states?" said Tom Susman, acting administration secretary for West Virginia. "If they work better, and the cost is cheaper, I think it's legitimate."

The FDA says it cannot guarantee the safety of imported medicines and has warned states about violating the law.

Only pharmaceutical companies are allowed to bring their drugs back into the United States. Canadian drug companies sell drugs to thousands of individual Americans, but federal regulators have chosen not to prosecute individuals.

Numerous pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Eli Lilly, have tried to stop the flow of drugs from Canada into the United States by limiting the amount of medicines they sell north of the border.

Supporters of the idea charge that the FDA, the Bush administration and some influential legislators who are trying to undermine such efforts are being swayed by the politically powerful drug manufacturers.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Dennis Hastert yesterday urged U.S. action to bring about changes in Canada's prescription-drug price-control policies, which he said were unfair to Americans.

Hastert, R-Ill., met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and pharmaceutical-industry representatives to discuss how to narrow the gap in prices that Canadians and Americans pay for drugs.

"It's a very thorny problem, but if we don't solve the problem we just get ourselves in a more difficult situation," he said. Zoellick indicated his office was not ready to pressure Canada.

"We're trying to get a sense of the scope of the problem and ways we can address it," he said.

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