STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1554-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.C.R. No. 27

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 27 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING SUPPORT FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING THE IMPORTATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to express the Legislature's support for federal legislation that would authorize the importation of prescription drugs.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association provided testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that many prescription drugs sold in the United States are available at lower prices abroad, but that federal law prohibits the importation of foreign-made versions of Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, and the reimportation of drugs, except by drug manufacturers or if authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) for emergency medical care. Recently-enacted Medicare reform law mandates regulations that would permit pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs from Canada into the United States. The law also requires certification by the Secretary that the regulations will pose no additional risk to the public's health and safety and will result in a significant reduction in the cost of drugs for consumers. However, it is unlikely that the Secretary will commit to guaranteeing the safety of imported drugs.

This concurrent resolution expresses the Legislature's support for the passage of measures that would provide more meaningful relief from the high cost of prescription drugs for Hawaii's consumers than existing federal law.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 27 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair