Letter sent to all members of the HELP Committee

Dear Senator:

On behalf of the American Conservative Union, I urge you to reject the Sanders amendments to S. 934, the
FDA Reauthorization bill, which would allow the importation of drugs from foreign countries. The idea that
this is a free trade solution to our concern over high prices for some drugs is a canard. Passage of this law
would import price control schemes from socialized economies and create long term problems for a small short-
term gain. An in-depth analysis by the American Conservative Union Foundation titledThe High Cost of
Lower Drug Prices shows that, far from advancing free trade, this proposal would have adverse impacts
throughout the U.S. economy, such as:

Stifling long-term incentives for pharmaceutical companies to pursue the medical research that underpins
innovation
Subjecting millions of American consumers to medicines that may be ineffective and unsafe

In 2004, Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman, one of our greatest advocates for a free market, said that while
American consumers would get a short-term windfall, they would end up unnecessarily suffering and living
shorter livesbecause promising new therapies would be delayed or not even developed.

While Senator Sanders first amendment allows importation from numerous countries, his second amendment
would restrict imports to one country, Canada. This is a siren song often used by proponents, claiming we can
be confident that drugs from our neighbor to the North are safe. However, in reality, manufacturers from
anywhere in the world can establish a Canadian shipping address and then identify themselves as a Canadian
pharmacy. A 2005 FDA investigation showed that, of the 43 percent of intercepted drugs purportedly coming
from Canada, only 15 percent actually were, the rest coming from 27 different countries.

Please dont fall for this seemingly simple solution to a complex problem. Vote NO on the two Sanders
amendments to S. 934.

Sincerely,

Daniel Schneider
Executive Director
American Conservative Union