Bouquets to Senator Bob Menendez (D. NJ) who had the following to say about legalizing drug importation, “Health-care reform and lowering costs does not mean we should roll the dice with the health and safety of the American people.”
And Brickbats to Senator Byron Dorgan (D, ND), who said he will object to any amendments to the Senates healthcare reform bill until objections are lifted to a vote on his importation proposal.
“I fully expect to get a vote and I expect we will win,” Dorgan said.
But at what cost to drug safety and the public health?
According to the FDA -- in a December 8th letter to Senator Sam Brownback (R, KS) -- the Dorgan scheme doesn’t address “significant safety issues related to confusion in distribution and labeling” of foreign and domestic drugs.
Dorgan said the FDA letter overlooks “dramatic new safety provisions” in the legislation and said political concerns were prevailing in the decision to delay.
“There are people walking on egg shells” out of concern that the drug industry will oppose the bill, Dorgan said.
Not so. The concern is over drug safety. And appropriately so.
