US Senator Dorgan commits to medicine buying freedom, veterans' health

As the US Congress considers ways to improve the overall health care system, Senator Byron Dorgan (Democrat, North Dakota) spoke at the Grand Forks VA Community Based Outreach Clinic last week of his efforts to bring down the costs of medication by giving Americans the freedom to purchase Food and Drug Administration-approved prescription drugs. Sen Dorgan's legislation, called the 'Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act' is estimated to save $50 billion over the next 10 years.

It has 30 co-sponsors from both parties in the Senate, including Senators Olympia Snowe (Republican, Maine) and John McCain (Republican, Arizona). Senator Dorgan intends to offer the legislation as one of the first amendments to the health care reform bill on the Senate floor. This legislation would save money for North Dakotans and the government, by ultimately forcing drug companies to lower their prices in the USA.

'Prescription drug importation is an important piece in the health care reform puzzle because the high costs of drugs is placing a huge burden on families,' said Sen Dorgan. 'I have heard too many stories of North Dakotans forced to drive to Canada to buy their medications. This legislation will reduce costs to individuals as well as the government, and allow North Dakotans to see that cost savings almost immediately,' he noted.
Current US law permits only pharmaceutical companies to import FDA-approved prescription drugs into the USA, and these imports are estimated to total more than $40 billion a year.

Veterans' health also a priority

Sen Dorgan also told the gathering that he considers ways to improve the overall health care system, Veterans health care remains a top priority