Bill to Allow Imports of Canadian Drugs Reintroduced in Senate

PRESS RELEASE

Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have reintroduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, which would allow individuals to import prescription drugs from Canada, according to a

press release

posted to McCain’s website. The bill,

S. 2549

, would allow US citizens to purchase a personal supply of prescription drugs “dispensed by a licensed pharmacist” from “an approved Canadian pharmacy”. The bill proposes that such approved Canadian pharmacies would be listed on the US Food and Drug Administration website. Certain types of prescription drugs, including controlled substances, biological products, and intravenously injected drugs, are specifically exempted. S. 2549 was originally introduced in the summer of 2014, when it died in committee. Federal law does not allow for medication importation, except in certain circumstances, because the safety of imported drugs cannot be

guaranteed by FDA

.