Reimports dropped from Senate bill

The Senate passed an agriculture appropriations bill, which includes funding for FDA, that did not include provisions allowing Americans to import FDA-approved pharmaceuticals from Canada. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who vowed earlier this year to amend the bill to allow reimportation from Canada, said it is an inappropriate time to distract attention from anti-terrorism efforts. He added, however, that "this issue will not go away" and predicted that "sooner or later, and I hope sooner, Congress will deal with the issue." Dorgan also noted that the companion bill passed by the House includes an amendment allowing individuals to import FDA-approved drugs from Canada (see BioCentury Extra, Wednesday July 11). He said that because reimports are mentioned in the House bill, the issue will be raised when the House and Senate versions are reconciled. ...