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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--The California Legislature has approved a bill that would authorize the creation of a Web site to facilitate the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada.
The bill, A.B. 1957, would authorize the California Department of Health Services to create a Web site that provides links to Canadian pharmacies whose safety has been certified by the department. The Web site would also feature price comparisons for major brand-name prescription drugs.
In addition, the Legislature adopted a separate measure that would permit state agencies to form a consortium to increase their bargaining power with pharmaceutical companies. A.B. 1958 would allow agencies such as the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the Department of Corrections to band together to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.
Both bills were approved Friday.
A spokeswoman for the bills' sponsor, Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has voiced opposition to the measures, which he has until Sept. 30 to sign.
The governor's office could not be reached for comment.
If the bills are passed, lawmakers expect "a pretty significant amount of savings," she said, noting that CalPERS spends about $700 million a year on prescription drugs, while the Department of Corrections spends more than $125 million per year.