Schakowsky Introduces Legislation to Further Lower Rx Prices for Americans
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), introduced the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act to help put an end to Big Pharma’s greed and ensure that American patients can access prescription drugs at fair prices.
Right now, some brand-name drug prices are over four times higher in the U.S. than in other countries. As a result, the U.S. makes up for more of Big Pharma’s profits than the rest of the world combined. This legislation will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow American wholesalers, pharmacies, and individuals to import affordable and safe drugs from Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Switzerland.
“Thanks to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, millions of Medicare beneficiaries will see their prescription drug costs lowered. While this is a historic achievement, more must be done to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable medications,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “That is why I am proud to introduce the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act which would allow for the importation of affordable and safe drugs to the U.S. from Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Switzerland, to ensure that every day Americans can get the prescriptions they need at a reasonable cost. There is no reason that Americans should be paying double, sometimes even triple the cost for the same drugs. It is time for Big Pharma's price gouging to come to an end and for U.S. patients to have access to the same fair drug pricing as the rest of the developed world."
“Millions of Americans depend on personal prescription importation for access to critical daily medications. Affordable access to prescription drugs from licensed Canadian pharmacies is an issue of life or death, and expanding that access through the ‘Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act’ will save lives, as thousands of CPPI Members can attest,” said Jack Pfeiffer, Executive Director of Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI). “The Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation thanks Representative Jan Schakowsky for her leadership on this bill.”
“The reintroduction of the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act is another welcome step in the fight to lower prescription drug prices for all Americans. At a time when millions of Americans are choosing not to fill their prescriptions because of how expensive those prescriptions are, allowing the importation of safe and affordable prescription drugs is another way to make sure no American has to go without the medicine they need,” said Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works.
"This bill sends an important message that U.S. patients should not be paying more for the exact same drugs that are sold for significantly less in other countries and will save lives by making prescription drugs more affordable," said Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President, National Center for Health Research.
Original cosponsors of the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act include Reps. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Mark Pocan (WI-02).
Endorsing organizations include: Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation, Social Security Works, National Center for Health Research, Alliance for Retired Americans, Economic Policy Institute, Prescription Justice, Consumer Action, Just Care USA, Citizen Action/Illinois, Physicians for a National Health Program, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Health Care Voices, Beta Cell Action, ACA Consumer Advocacy, Committee to Protect Health Care, Rise Up WV, NY StateWide Senior Action Council.
###