Overview

• Bill allows prescription drug imports from approved foreign countries (Canada, EU, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland) through registered exporters and importers
• Introduced January 2007 in House of Representatives
• Status: Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee, then to Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
• Aims to reduce prescription drug costs for Americans by enabling access to lower-priced medications from countries with equivalent safety standards

Who does this affect?

Main groups:

• Americans who buy prescription drugs (especially those struggling with high costs)
• Pharmacies, wholesalers, and online exporters who want to import/export drugs
• Drug manufacturers (faces new restrictions on discriminatory pricing)
• State attorneys general and Federal Trade Commission (enforcement authority)

Who benefits/loses:

• Consumers benefit from access to cheaper drugs (35-55% lower prices)
• Importers/exporters benefit from new business opportunities
• Drug manufacturers lose pricing control and face anti-discrimination rules
• Counterfeit drug sellers face stricter enforcement

Teen impact score: 5/10 (indirect impact via family economics)

Teens benefit indirectly when families save money on prescription drugs, freeing up household income for other needs. Families spending less on medications may have more resources for teen activities, education, or basic needs. However, teens don't directly interact with the import system or personally purchase these drugs.

What This Bill Does

Key provisions:

• Creates registration system for foreign exporters (pharmacies shipping to individuals) and US importers (wholesalers/pharmacies buying in bulk)
• Registration requires $10,000 fee plus ongoing inspection fees (capped at 2.5% of drug import value)
• Exporters must post bonds up to $1 million and allow FDA inspections at least 12 times annually
• Importers must give FDA 8 hours to 5 days advance notice of shipments with detailed tracking information
• Drugs must come from FDA-inspected manufacturing facilities
• Chain of custody must be documented from manufacturer to consumer
• Special labeling required showing drug is safe/effective but may not be bioequivalent to US version
• Manufacturers cannot charge higher prices to exporters/importers or restrict drug supplies to them (violations enforced by FTC with triple damages)
• Excludes controlled substances, biologics, injected drugs, and inhaled surgical drugs
• Individuals can import 90-day supplies for personal use from registered exporters
• Credit card companies and payment processors must block payments to unregistered foreign pharmacies

Implementation timeline:

• Exports from Canada: 90 days after enactment
• Imports from other permitted countries: 1 year after enactment
• FDA can initially limit to 50 registered exporters (year 1), 100 (year 2), then add 25 annually
• FDA can initially limit to 100 registered importers (year 1), 200 (year 2), then add 50 annually

Legislative Status

• Introduced in House January 10, 2007 by Rep. Emanuel and 50+ cosponsors
• Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Referred to Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection on February 2, 2007
• No further action recorded

In short

• Bill creates legal pathway for Americans to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland through FDA-approved channels
• Foreign pharmacies and US wholesalers must register with FDA, pay fees, allow inspections, and track drugs from factory to consumer
• Manufacturers cannot discriminate against businesses that import drugs by charging higher prices or restricting supplies
• Individuals can order 90-day supplies from registered foreign pharmacies for personal use
• Credit card companies must block payments to unregistered foreign pharmacies

Why should I care?

Prescription drug costs hit family budgets hard. Americans pay up to 5 times more for the same medications than people in other developed countries. When families spend hundreds or thousands of dollars monthly on prescriptions, that's money not available for rent, food, education, or emergencies. This bill could help families save 35-55% on medications by allowing legal imports from countries with safety standards equivalent to the US. Lower drug costs mean more financial breathing room for households. The bill also tackles safety by requiring registration, inspections, and tracking to prevent counterfeit drugs. For families choosing between filling prescriptions and paying other bills, legal access to affordable medications from trusted foreign sources could make a real difference in both health and finances.