Massachusetts Senate Majority Leader Frederick E. Berry (D-Peabody) has sent a letter to Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry urging them to support legislation to reduce prescription drug costs. The legislation would make it legal for United States citizens to purchase FDA approved drugs in Canada and bring them back into the U.S. Although many citizens now go to Canada to purchase their prescription medications, it is currently against the law to do so.
“Prescription drug costs, especially for seniors, is one of the most pressing issues facing Massachusetts and our country,” said Senator Berry. He continued, “Congress must take the lead on this. Drug costs are rising at an average of 14% per year. Too many of our seniors are being squeezed by pharmaceutical companies.”
At the state level, Berry has supported programs to reduce prescription drug costs for Massachusetts citizens. Berry was a leading advocate for the retention of Prescription Advantage, a comprehensive drug insurance plan available to Massachusetts residents 65 and older and younger low-income individuals with disabilities.
The state legislature preserved Prescription Advantage despite Governor Mitt Romney’s plan to eliminate the program. “My colleagues and I hear from our constituents on a daily basis about the hardship they face because of outrageous prescription drug costs,” said Berry. “We hear from voters about this issue when we go into restaurants, when we are shopping for groceries or even picking up our own prescriptions.”
“This issue is not going to go away on its own,” concluded Berry. “We need leaders like Senator Kennedy and Senator Kerry to continue to focus on controlling drug costs while we at the state level do our share. This is going to take everyone’s best efforts.”