STARK INTRODUCES BILL TO PROVIDE MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH SAFE LOW-COST PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OVER THE INTERNET

September 7, 2000

Today, Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) introduced the Medicare Prescription Drug Internet Access Act of 2000 to provide safe prescription drugs over the internet at the lowest prices available domestically and internationally.

"Our nationïs seniors should have access to the same prices that people in other countries pay for the same prescription medications - and that access must be safe." said Rep. Stark.

The Medicare Prescription Drug Internet Access Act of 2000 provides Medicare beneficiaries with an easy way to obtain low-cost, safe prescription medicine from a certified-reliable internet source. The beneficiary submits their prescription to the internet pharmacy, and gets their medicine at the price he or she selects, through the mail, by express delivery, or at their local retail pharmacy. There is no lag time in pricing because these prices will be available on a "real time" basis.

The bill also addresses the issue of so-called `rogueï websites. It establishes a uniform set of criteria to which contracting internet pharmacies must adhere or face criminal and financial consequences. Among other criteria, internet pharmacies would have to be licensed in all 50 states as a pharmacy, fully comply with State and Federal laws, and only dispense medicine with a valid prescription through a licensed practitioner. As an added precaution, internet pharmacies would be required to display a Medicare Seal of Approval which serves to authenticate the website. The seal would directly link to a secure webpage operated by the Medicare contractor which verifies the internet pharmacyïs legitimacy

Rep. Stark continued, "Itïs safe and easy. All a beneficiary, doctor, or a pharmacy serving a beneficiary has to do is click on the Medicare home page, type in their prescription, and up pops the five lowest prices for their medicine, available from domestic and international suppliers."

The only medicine that contracting internet pharmacies would be able to sell is FDA-approved medicine manufactured in FDA-approved facilities. The federal Food and Drug Administration sends inspectors to other countries to examine the quality of the medicine, storage conditions and facilities, distribution of the medicine, and manufacturing facilities of foreign companies before they can import drugs into the United States.

"We have the best drug approval process in the world. Internet pharmacies, under this bill, would only be able to import prescription medicine from approved companies whose prescription medicine and facilities have been inspected by the FDA." said Rep. Stark.

"This bill is no solution to the prescription drug needs of Americaïs seniors. But, it would provide a safe, more affordable venue for seniors to get prescription drugs today if it were enacted," concluded Rep. Stark.

For more information, please contact Seth Radus at (202) 225-4021.

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