Update: One Night Only! Dorgan & McCain LIVE from the Senate floor team up in support of the Drug Reimportation Amendment….

Update: Shows Added, lol! Even AP notes OBAMA is blocking this billions in savings for American consumers. Debate continues today:

A bipartisan group of lawmakers hopes to finally win a long struggle to ease curbs against importing low-cost prescription drugs but will have to overcome the Obama administration and the pharmaceutical industry to do so. The Senate was resuming debate Thursday on President Barack Obama’s drive to reshape the country’s care system. The most crucial work was being done behind closed doors, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his lieutenants were hunting support for a tentative deal among moderate and liberal Democrats to expand the government’s role in providing care.

As predicted Team Obama has SOLD US DOWN THE RIVER for Pharma and Billy frakkin Tauzin. The FDA released a letter OPPOSING the Amendment allowing the reimportation of prescription drugs for American consumers. Obama is AGAIN betraying a promise he made throughout the campaign. This is one of the single biggest cost saving expenses for Americans in their healthcare costs. The FDA has the AUDACITY to claim drugs coming from CANADA are not SAFE!! HA!! Dorgan and MAC teamed up in a great vaudeville style debate today, punching holes in the ridiculous FDA statement..

WSJ:

…Allowing importation of prescription drugs from a select few countries such as Canada, Ireland, and parts of Europe could lower prices in this country, and Dorgan has an amendment to the health-care bill that would legalize the practice.

Tuesday, the FDA blew a hole in his amendment. In a letter, FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg said importing drugs would be unsafe, too complex and too expensive. The drug industry has also opposed the practice, pointing out that Europe, which allows some importation, has problems with counterfeit drugs.

On the floor of the Senate today, McCain played the set-up man, lobbing rhetorical softballs for Dorgan. Here’s a much-condensed version of some of the highlights. Watch the whole thing yourself, starting around minute 270 in this C-Span video

McCain: Isn’t it true that a letter was written to one of our colleagues from the administrator of the FDA?

Dorgan: The Senator from Arizona is correct. They say “We don’t have the resources.” This amendment provides the resources for them. The people that are selling [imported drugs] will pay a fee.

McCain: It requires no additional funding from the taxpayer?

Dorgan: No additional funding from the taxpayer at all!

McCain: Could we say it would not propose any hazard to anyone’s health?

Dorgan: The countries that are involved in this amendment — and they are limited — are countries that have an identical chain of custody to our country.

On a roll now, Dorgan holds up two pill bottles and continues:

Both of these bottles contained Lipitor — most of my colleagues know what Lipitor is. And this was made by an American company in Ireland and shipped all over the world. This little bottle was shipped to the United States. This little bottle was shipped to Canada. What’s the difference? The price. The American consumer is told, guess what you get to do? You get to pay almost triple.

McCain: On behalf of the citizens of my state, I just want to say, thank you for your advocacy.

December 9, 2009. Tags: Byron Dorgan, Dorgan Amendment, Dorgan reimportation of prescription drugs amendment, Dreamgirls, Health care bill, John McCain, medicare, Obama Health Care, reimportation of prescription drugs. Healthcare, Obama Administration, Politics. Comments off.