WASHINGTON — Sen. Slade Gorton will introduce a bill tomorrow (April 25) that would bar drug companies from charging higher prices in America than they do for identical products overseas, the Associated Press reported. The Washington state Republican said last week he delayed filing the bill for two weeks because he wanted to give drug companies time to come up with an alternative or a convincing rationale for the higher prices. They failed to do so, he said.
“Our drug companies are discriminating against Americans by selling exactly the same prescription drugs in Canada, in Mexico, in Europe and around the world for far less money than they’re selling them for in the United States — and that is wrong,” he said at a news conference.
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A document prepared by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America calls Gorton’s proposal the biggest threat to patients and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries since President Clinton’s much-maligned health care proposal in 1993.
Industry officials view the stakes as high. If America adopts price restraints similar to other countries, they say companies will be deprived of much-needed revenue to research and develop new drugs.
But Gorton said it is not fair for Americans to bear the entire cost of research and development of drugs simply because most countries control prices.
Gorton said the details of his proposal have not yet been worked out. He said he still is willing to work with industry officials and other lawmakers if they can find a better solution.
