Some Connecticut lawmakers want to set up a clearinghouse to help seniors and people without health insurance buy prescription drugs from Canada. The prices Connecticut consumers would pay for many brand-name U.S.-made drugs could be cut nearly in half if they are re-imported from Canada, Ireland or Great Britain. The proposed legislation would not help reduce the cost of drugs sold here, but its sponsors say it would connect Connecticut residents to safe and reliable suppliers of drugs from Canada, where government-mandated price controls enable pharmacies to buy American-made drugs in bulk at discounted prices. The legislation would authorize the state to contract with a Canadian pharmacy benefit manager, which in turn would link Connecticut residents to a network of doctors in Canada, Ireland and Great Britain. The foreign doctors would essentially rewrite American prescriptions for about 50 brand-name drugs, and foreign pharmacists would ship them to the residents' homes. The legislation would create a state website and hotline that would put state residents in contact with the Canadian network.

Bills on disclosure of retail prices:

SB 83: www.cga.ct.gov/2005/tob/s/2005SB-00083-R00-SB.htm
SB 477: www.cga.ct.gov/2005/tob/s/2005SB-00477-R00-SB.htm

Several other initiatives are pending, including bills on reimportation, disclosure of advertising, PDL protections, clinical trials, and counter-detailing. Those bill numbers are 126, 6183, 607, 5824, and 6623. If you're interested in tracking them, there is a bill tracking system on the website (upper right corner). Once you list the bills you want to track, you will be sent an email whenever there is a change in status.