Re-importing drugs

Southeast Missouri's top legislators support a measure that would allow Missourians to buy prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies.

House Speaker Rod Jetton of Marble Hill, Mo., and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau agree that state residents need access to lower-priced pharmaceuticals.

But drug re-importation hasn't been without its detractors. Some opponents believe such a policy would put consumers at risk. Meanwhile, proponents believe it could save consumers as much as 50 percent of their current prescription costs.

The Missouri Legislature is considering a bill that would formalize the state's current participation in a program that allows residents to purchase prescription drugs through re-importation. The bill would codify an executive order signed last year by former governor Bob Holden that authorized Missouri residents to participate in the I-SaveRx program started by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Kansas, Vermont and Wisconsin have also joined the Illinois program.

The AARP of Missouri, the Aging Federation of Missouri and other advocacy groups for the elderly support the bill.

The federal government officially prohibits the re-importation of prescription drugs from foreign countries. However, there has been no crackdown on the I-SaveRx program. The legislature's move to give Missourians state-sanctioned access to less expensive Canadian drugs is a good step.