BILL TO ALLOW PHARMACIES TO REIMPORT DRUGS PASSES SENATE

Date: March 8, 2006
Posted At: KTEN.com
By: World Now

The Oklahoma Senate backs a drug reimportation plan that would permit state pharmacies to obtain U-S-made prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere for sale here.

The Federal Drug Administration has opposed drug reimportation bills, claiming they violate the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U-S Constitution. Those measures mainly deal with allowing individuals to obtain reimported drugs.

Tulsa state Senator Tom Adelson says his legislation avoids that legal question because it would require pharmacies to sell reimported medicines only to Oklahomans in intrastate, not interstate, commerce.

Most programs are geared to allowing individuals obtain such drugs by crossing the border into Canada or buying drugs online.

A similar bill was introduced last year at the urging of Democratic Governor Brad Henry, but it died in a joint conference committee.

This year, Republican state Representative Kris Steele of Shawnee is the bill's House author.