Check out "Importing Price Controls" for a quick explanation of what drug "reimportation" really means. Essentially, it is sending American drugs to Canada and then buying them back, secretly applying Canadian price controls without an open debate. A more accurate term might be "drug laundering."Montgomery County filed a federal lawsuit this morning against the Bush administration seeking a court order that would allow county residents to import [price controlled] prescription drugs from Canada.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, argues that the Food and Drug Administration unfairly denied the county's request for a waiver to allow Montgomery to disperse Canadian drugs to its nearly 1 million residents...
In November, the FDA denied the request, saying Canadian drugs are neither safe nor legal.
Randall W. Lutter, acting FDA associate commissioner for policy and planning, wrote that the agency worries some drugs coming from Canada actually originate in countries with fewer safety controls.
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, who announced the suit, is a Democrat candidate for governor.
Duncan's decision to sue the federal government comes as he is trying to position himself as a moderate on the issue and appeal to seniors and liberal voters.Drug laundering is an easy way to pander without a legitimate policy debate.
Earlier commentaries on drug laundering:
DC Price Controls Struck Down (Dec. 27, 2005)
Maryland County Exec. Demands Price Controls (Nov. 11, 2005)
Importing Price Controls (Nov. 14, 2004)
Technorati Tags: Drugs, Maryland
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