Ok to bring cheaper drugs back from Canada

House Republicans agree to relax ban on importing prescription meds

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updated 5:55 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2006

WASHINGTON - House Republicans tentatively agreed Thursday to relax a ban on importing prescription drugs from Canada, a controversial pre-election victory for lawmakers seeking to provide cheaper medication for elderly voters.

The deal would let Americans carry up to a 90-day supply of medication back to the U.S. from Canada without being stopped by Customs agents, House and Senate Republicans said.

“This is a very significant breakthrough,” said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who led the fight in the Senate to prohibit the Homeland Security Department from seizing prescription drugs being carried over the border.

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The agreement “proves that we have significant majorities in favor of reimporting,” Vitter said. “This really breaks the dam, and it shows that it’s only a matter of time before we pass a full-blown reimportation bill.”

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