Safe IMPORT Act of 2005
Latest action. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Safe Importation of Medical Products and Other Rx Therapies Act of 2005 or Safe IMPORT Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow individuals to import Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drugs from Canada for personal use.
Permits the importation of prescription drugs from Canada by registered Internet pharmacies, pharmacies, or wholesalers in one year under specified conditions, including meeting proper labeling on all dispensed drugs to indicate that the drug has been imported. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate additional countries from which to allow importation in three years.
Requires the Secretary to give high priority to improving the information management systems of the FDA to improve the detection of intentionally adulterated prescription drugs.
Sets forth Internet pharmacy licensing requirements and procedures. Makes providers of interactive computer and advertising services liable for violations under this Act if such providers accept advertising: (1) for a prescription drug from an unlicensed Internet pharmacy; or (2) stating that an individual does not need a prescription to obtain a prescription drug.
Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations requiring designated payment systems, including credit card companies, to prevent sales by unlicensed Internet pharmacies.
Allows the FDA to detain or temporarily hold prescription drug shipments based on credible information that a drug presents a risk to the public health.
Allows the Secretary to: (1) suspend or debar importation of a particular drug or dosage that poses such a risk or by a particular importer who violates Act requirements; (2) require owners of prescription drugs that have been refused admission into the United States to indicate that information on the drug containers; and (3) authorize other Federal and State officials to conduct inspections to enforce compliance with this Act
Deems to be misbranded a prescription drug offered for importation that has previously been refused admission, unless the person reoffering the drug affirmatively establishes that it complies with applicable requirements.
The summary continues for 1 more paragraph. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on January 26, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on January 26, 2005: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Judd Gregg (R-NH) introduced it on January 26, 2005, and 5 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 5 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 26, 2005, 7944 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7944 days ago, on January 26, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers