Skip to main content
HR 2497 108th Congress House Health Administrative procedure Canada Commerce Congress Congressional investigations Congressional reporting requirements Consumer protection Department of Health and Human Services Drug approvals Drug industry Drugs Foreign Trade and International Finance Government Operations and Politics Government paperwork Governmental investigations Identification devices Import restrictions Imports Intellectual property

Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act

Introduced: June 17, 2003 Introduced by: Sanders, Bernard Independent · Vermont See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 24, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 17, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jun 17, 2003
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act - Amends provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act set forth in the Medicine Equity and Drug Safety Act of 2000 to: (1) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations permitting pharmacists and wholesalers to import Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drugs from Canada (currently, from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, the countries in the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, or other countries designated by the Secretary); and (2) exclude an infused or intravenously injected drug or a drug that is inhaled during surgery.

Prohibits discrimination in the sale of prescription drugs by manufacturers to pharmacists or wholesalers, requiring: (1) terms as favorable as those provided to foreign purchasers; and (2) full access to drugs permitted to be imported.

Continues the requirement that exported donated prescription drugs may only be reimported by the manufacturer.

Permits the Secretary to waive the prohibition against importing a prescription drug or device on a case-by-case basis, particularly those from Canada that are FDA-approved and for limited personal use.

Requires a study and report by the: (1) Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences on the regulatory compliance of importers of drugs; and (2) Comptroller General on how drug prices were affected.

What's happening now June 24, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 13
All 13 Democratic 13
D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · Jul 22, 2003
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Jul 17, 2003
 D
Doggett, Lloyd
Texas · Jul 16, 2003
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Jul 16, 2003
 D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · Jul 16, 2003
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Jul 14, 2003
 D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Jun 24, 2003
 D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · Jun 17, 2003
 D
Case, Ed
Hawaii · Jun 17, 2003
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Jun 17, 2003
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Jun 17, 2003
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Jun 17, 2003
 D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · Jun 17, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2497: Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2497/
MLA
"H.R. 2497: Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2497/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2497, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2497/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2497: Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2497/)
Report a problem