2002 -- S 3018

=======

LC02899

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2002

____________

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ALLOW THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND TO CREATE, IMPLEMENT, AND OVERSEE A PILOT PROGRAM

ALLOWING FOR THE REIMPORTATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FROM

CANADIAN PHARMACIES

     Introduced By: Senators Sheehan, Walaska, Graziano, Izzo, and Walsh

     Date Introduced: May 21, 2002

     Referred To: Senate Corporations

1-1

     WHEREAS, In the United States, healthcare inflation is being driven in large part by

1-2

ever-increasing prescription drug expenditures; and

1-3

     WHEREAS, In the United States, prescription drug costs are rising at a rate twice that of

1-4

other health care goods and services; and

1-5

     WHEREAS, Many older Americans depend upon five or more medicines at any given

1-6

time; and

1-7

     WHEREAS, Due to a lack of a Medicare drug benefit, many older Americans do not

1-8

have health insurance coverage for prescriptions; and

1-9

     WHEREAS, Out-of-pocket expenses for many of these older Americans’ medications are

1-10

considerable enough to force them to choose between their medicine and other life necessities,

1-11

like food; and

1-12

     WHEREAS, Consumer costs for most prescription drugs in Canada are a fraction of the

1-13

consumer cost for pharmaceuticals in the United States; and

1-14

     WHEREAS, Current federal law prohibits the reimportation of prescription medications

1-15

into the United States; and

1-16

     WHEREAS, A pilot program that would give seniors in Rhode Island access to lower

1-17

priced medicines through Canadian pharmacies would be immensely beneficial; and

1-18

     WHEREAS, Monitoring and safeguarding procedures for the pilot program would be

2-1

established by the State of Rhode Island; and

2-2

     WHEREAS, Supreme Court Justice Brandeis perhaps stated it best in 1931, when he

2-3

wrote “It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if

2-4

its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory, and try novel social and economic experiments without

2-5

risk to the rest of the country”; now, therefore be it

2-6

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

2-7

hereby memorializes the United States Congress to allow the State of Rhode Island to create,

2-8

implement, and oversee a pilot program allowing for the reimportation of prescription drugs from

2-9

Canadian pharmacies; and be it further

2-10

      RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

2-11

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.

=======

LC02899

=======