State Lawmakers Explore Canadian Drug Importation

By Lolita C. Baldor Associated Press

HARTFORD –– Connecticut lawmakers, faced with a growing state budget deficit, are exploring the idea of buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

Leaders of the legislature’s Public Health, Aging and Human Services committees will meet with former Springfield Mayor Michael Albano on Wednesday to hear about his city’s successful Canadian drug program.

Municipal officials from around the state are also being invited to the forum to hear about the illegal drug reimportation program that launched Mayor Albano and his city into the national spotlight.

State Sen Edith Prague, chairwoman of the Select Committee on Aging, said Monday that Mayor Albano will “give us all the details’’ on his prescription import plan.

Ms Prague, D-Columbia, said she will introduce legislation that would allow participants in Connecticut’s ConnPace drug program for low-income elderly and disabled residents to get prescription drugs from Canada. She said that would save participants the cost of the deductible and save state money.

Springfield and Montgomery, Ala., are the only two cities across the country actively buying lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, although a number of other states and municipalities are looking into it. The federal Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly warned officials that the illegal cross-border sales are not safe, and cities could face legal action if they pursue the program.

“I’m going to share the Springfield experience, and at a minimum I would hope that they would do a feasibility study,’’ Mr Albano said Monday. He said that as more cities start their own programs, the pressure will build on the federal government to permit the drug importation.

Gretchen Vivier, director of the Health Care for All Coalition, has been working with the state lawmakers on the program and said the state spent $719 million in the 2003 fiscal year on prescription drugs for workers, retirees, and state beneficiaries.

“With the amount of money we could save, it would be irresponsible not to look into it,’’ Ms Vivier said.

Connecticut will be Mr Albano’s first stop after the end of his reign as mayor. He decided not to seek a fifth term.

Mr Albano also has been invited to speak to officials in Rhode Island early next month about the drug program, and has been asked to travel to California to talk to lawmakers there.

By the end of last year, Springfield had saved $1 million since the program was launched last summer. Under the plan, employees and retirees are allowed to buy the cheaper drugs from Canada, and in many cases do not have to pay a co-payment.

The city’s new mayor, Charles Ryan, has pledged to continue the program, but FDA officials said they want to meet with him to explain the legal and safety problems. The FDA’s pharmacy affairs director, Tom McGinnis, said the agency did not take legal action against Springfield because officials knew Albano’s term was ending.

But, he said, if Mr Ryan “sticks to his guns, he’s at risk of us filing a lawsuit against him.’’