S. 2328: Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-04-21 · Health · Latest: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-04-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2004

Plain summary

Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise provisions governing the importation of prescription drugs. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations allowing the importation of prescription drugs by registered exporters or registered importers from Canada within 90 days of passage of this Act and from Australia, European Union countries, Japan, New Zealand, or Switzerland within one year. Provides for inspection, tracking of drugs, and registration and inspection fees for registered importers and exporters. Requires manufacturers to: (1) submit a statement to the Secretary explaining each difference between a drug approved and distributed in the United States and a related drug distributed in a foreign country; and (2) submit an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of a related drug that is distributed in a foreign country if there is no comparable drug already approved in at least half of the permitted countries that can be imported to the United States. Allows for the immediate importation of prescription drugs for personal use from licensed Canadian pharmacies. Amends the Clayton Act to prohibit drug manufacturers from preventing importation by engaging in behavior such as charging higher prices or limiting supplies to registered exporters and importers or changing the form of the drug for such purpose. States that the resale in the United States of prescription drugs that were properly sold abroad is not patent infringement. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to refuse admission of drugs that violate importation provisions. Allows the destruction of certain violative shipments. Amends the Controlled Substances Act to repeal the exemption that permitted individuals to import controlled substances for personal medical use.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND] · 31 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2328.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2328 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108