Importing Prescription Drugs (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 22, 2002 |
| Report Number |
RL31503 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Blanchard Randall, IV and Donna U. Vogt, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
In recent years the rising cost of prescription drugs has become an ongoing issue for Congress. International comparisons of pharmaceutical prices have shown that American consumers, particularly the elderly and uninsured, often pay a lot more the their prescriptions than do citizens in other countries. Frequently this price disparity stems from the fact that some countries, particularly those with nationalized health care systems, can negotiate lower prices due to a greater economy of scale. The lower pharmaceutical prices in these countries are often enough incentive for some U.S. citizens to purchase their prescription drugs from Internet or mail-order pharmacies, or when they travel outside the United States, especially to Canada or Mexico. As this practice has become more common in recent years, legislation has been offered in Congress to make it easier for less costly prescription drugs to be imported from foreign suppliers.
