Frist: Drug Import Vote Won't Happen Soon

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- The Senate probably will not vote before this year's election on legalizing cheaper prescription drug imports from Canada, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Wednesday despite broad bipartisan support for imports.

Some Democrats responded that they would try to force such a vote.

Frist, R-Tenn., an opponent of permitting medicines to be imported, said there is too much else to do in the few weeks left before lawmakers head home to campaign full time. "It looks doubtful, just given we have 23 days," he told reporters.

Frist said he remains concerned about the safety of drug imports, the issue most frequently cited by President Bush, Republican congressional leaders and the pharmaceutical industry.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-senate-drug-imports,0,6839241.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines