Bill Would Make Drug Makers that Block U.S. Consumers’ Access to Canadian Pharmacies Ineligible for Tax Breaks

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) last week introduced a bill that would deny tax breaks to pharmaceutical companies that block U.S. consumers' access to prescription drugs from Canada. The legislation follows (GlaxoSmithKline's decision to stop supplying Canadian pharmacies that sell the company's drugs to the United States. The Preserving Prescription Drug Discount Act (S 477) would make companies that take action against Canadian pharmacies that sell drugs to U.S. patients ineligible for certain tax deductions and credits, specifically tax breaks for "any expenditures relating to research and development" ("Preserving Prescription Drug Discount Act" text, 2/27). In a release, Feingold accused drug companies of trying to "gouge the wallets of our seniors while receiving enormous tax breaks from our government" (Feingold release, 2/27).