Pro - H.R.380 - Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007

The Honorable (Representative First and Last Name)

Dear Representative (Last Name);

I am writing in regard to H.R.380, the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act. Passage of this legislation is long overdue. It would allow Americans to purchase and legally import FDA-approved prescription drugs, manufactured at FDA-inspected facilities, from 19 foreign countries, including Canada.

Fourteen states already have laws allowing re-importation of drugs from Canada. According to the accounting body for the Congress, the legislation would save Americans $50 billion dollars in prescription drug costs over 10 years. A regulated system of importing drugs between countries has been used in Europe for more than 20 years. My taxpayer dollars are already being spent to pay FDA bureaucrats to inspect overseas facilities.

The FDA and big drug company lobbyists continue to lobby Congress against re-importation. For the big drug companies it is clearly a matter of protecting their profits. It is not a matter of protecting Americans against counterfeit drugs. In my view, it is derogatory to claim that our government is not capable of having a regulated system of importing drugs, when Canadian and European countries have been doing this for years.

Americans did not create this situation. But, I would expect our Congressional representatives to do the right thing and reform an out of date system that prevents access to more affordable prescription drugs.

I appreciate your consideration of my views and look forward to knowing your position on this bill.

Sincerely,

Pro - S.242 - Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007

The Honorable (Senator First/Last Name)

Dear Senator Last Name;

I am writing in regard to S.242, the Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act. Passage of this legislation is long overdue. It would allow Americans to purchase and legally import FDA-approved prescription drugs, manufactured at FDA-inspected facilities, from 19 foreign countries, including Canada.

Fourteen states already have laws allowing re-importation of drugs from Canada. According to the accounting body for the Congress, the legislation would save Americans $50 billion dollars in prescription drug costs over 10 years. A regulated system of importing drugs between countries has been used in Europe for more than 20 years. My taxpayer dollars are already being spent to pay FDA bureaucrats to inspect overseas facilities.

The FDA and big drug company lobbyists continue to lobby Congress against re-importation. For the big drug companies it is clearly a matter of protecting their profits. It is not a matter of protecting Americans against counterfeit drugs. In my view, it is derogatory to claim that our government is not capable of having a regulated system of importing drugs, when Canadian and European countries have been doing this for years.

Americans did not create this situation. But, I would expect our Congressional representatives to do the right thing and reform an out of date system that prevents access to more affordable prescription drugs.

I appreciate your consideration of my views and look forward to knowing your position on this bill.

Sincerely,