Democratic sponsors of a bill in California said a lack of action by federal authorities prompted a blitz of legislation recently aimed at providing consumer information on Canadian drugs and allowing bulk purchases by the state. According to the California law makers, drugs in the U.S. cost 40 to 70 percent more than in Canada forcing the elderly to cut pills in half or scrimp on groceries to afford their medication.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Assembly approved five measures relating to prescription drugs, including a bill to create a Web site for consumers to check for links to Canadian pharmacies. California's Senate passed eight bills targeting the drug industry and reimportation legislation goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for approval.
The bill, heading to the Senate for approval, states that the site would include comparisons of Canadian and Californian prices for the 50 most commonly prescribed name brand drugs. The bill also states that Canadian pharmacies listed on the site need to meet the following criteria: be licensed by a Canadian province, meet California pharmacy standards, and sell drugs approved by Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate, the Canadian agency comparable with the U.S.'s FDA.