House Panel Approves Bill With Measure To Block Ban on Reimportation of Prescription Drugs From Other Nations

The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved by voice vote a draft agriculture budget for fiscal year 2005 that includes an amendment that would bar FDA from enforcing its ban on importing prescription drugs, CQ Today reports (Jalonick, CQ Today, 6/23). Last week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies voted 8-6 to approve the amendment, which would prohibit FDA officials from spending any agency funds on enforcement of the reimportation ban (California Healthline, 6/15). According to CQ Today, the Senate is "unlikely" to include a similar provision in its version of the agriculture spending bill. The House Appropriations Committee last year approved a similar provision that was dropped in conference, and some Democrats and Republicans on the committee predict the same could happen this year (CQ Today, 6/23).