Grassley, Klobuchar Seek to Increase Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs

WASHINGTON– Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in reintroducing the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act. The bipartisan bill would allow Americans to safely import prescription drugs from Canada – lowering costs, increasing access and strengthening competition in the pharmaceutical market.
“Congress must take an all-of-the-above approach to lowering the price of prescription drugs. Our commonsense, bipartisan bill would provide Americans increased access to safe, affordable prescription drugs available in Canada, while boosting much-needed competition in the pharmaceutical industry,”Grassley said.
“Americans pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs,”Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan legislation would save Americans money by allowing them to import their medications from pharmacies in Canada. Brand-name prescription drugs that we invent here in America cost more than twice as much in the United States as in Canada. Americans deserve better. Building on my legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug costs, I will continue to work to increase competition in the pharmaceutical market so Americans no longer get ripped off by Big Pharma.”
Find bill textHERE.
Background:
Lowering the cost of prescription drugs and increasing transparency in the pharmaceutical industry are among Grassley’s top priorities. This Congress, he introducedtwo bipartisan billsto shine light on the shady practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), as well aslegislationto boost price transparency in prescription drug advertisements.
In 2017, Grassleyurgedthe Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use its statutory authority under the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 to fast-track the importation of prescription drugs from Canada under certain circumstances. In 2020, the first Trump administrationfinalized regulationsand issued guidance allowing states and Indian Tribes to import prescription drugs from Canada under certain circumstances and with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval. Additionally, Grassley in 2021senta bipartisan letter to HHS highlighting his commitment to securing the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada.
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