January 31, 2005
At the beginning of this week I met with Governor Warner to discuss actions that his administration could take to help prevent impending loss of the largest private employer in Charlotte County. Both the Governor and Secretary of Commerce and Trade assured me that they would work with the county in the coming months. It is my most sincere hope that steps can be taken to keep more Virginians out of the unemployment office.
As always, matters of healthcare are perennially of chief concern. This year is no different. The issue of affordable prescription drugs is a major one. Frequently, I am asked what can be done to ensure prescribed medications are available at a reasonable price.
The solution is achieved with difficulty because many believe cheaper drugs are available from Canada or that drug companies are ripping consumers off.
I will not attempt to address the profit margins of the drug companies. I will simply say that today, the United States is the source of most new miracle drugs on the market. These are the drugs that are keeping our loved ones healthy and frequently out of the hospital. However, we have an obligation to look at prescription drug sources and determine if there are less costly, safer ways to get those drugs to people who need them.
One option is the importation of drugs from Canada. A bill that passed in the Senate Education and Health Committee this week would establish a safe procedure for importing such drugs given approval of the federal government. This might happen, but a recent study shows that generic drugs (not name brand) can usually be purchased cheaper at your local pharmacy. Should it be determined that Canada is a safe and dependable source, we should not deny our citizens that option.
Safety is a key word. One of the bills that I am sponsoring this year will help to keep potentially dangerous, counterfeit drugs out of the American market. Thursday, the Senate Education and Health Committee heard testimony that thousands have died in regions of Asia from drugs that either had limited potency, or in some cases, no potency. We also heard testimony that many of the counterfeit drugs that look exactly like the real pills are made in unsanitary conditions.
My bill would require a tighter paper trail of what happens to legitimate drugs as they leave the factory so that you, the consumer, can feel more confident about your medicines.
On the same issue of safe and reasonable access to prescriptions, I was to meet on Sunday with the members and leaders of several district churches to help explain how many seniors can save on prescriptions by using the drug discount cards that most drug companies provide. We were scheduled to meet at Saint John Baptist Church in Buffalo Junction, but weather concerns forced cancellation.
Many of our senior citizens do not realize that they qualify for discount programs. I am willing to help groups understand how these programs work so more can save. If you know of a group that would like to learn more about these programs please contact us.
I hope my column has helped some of the questions you have about issues facing the General Assembly and the whole of Virginia. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach me by mail at Senate of Virginia, P.O. Box 396, Richmond, Virginia 23218, by phone at (804) 698-7515 or the constituent hotline (800) 889-0229, or by email.