United States · Bill · S
S. 525 (111th)
Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009
Introduced
4 March 2009
Last action
5 March 2009 · Introduced
Status
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2780-2781)
Sponsors
Rep. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND-At Large], Rep. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME-2], Chuck Grassley, Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA], Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ], Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI], Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM], Susan Collins, Richard Durbin, Rep. Nelson, Bill [D-FL-11], Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI], Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Bernie Sanders, Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA], Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH], Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI], Rep. Johnson, Tim [D-SD-At Large], Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI], Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT], Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA], Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO], John Thune, Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK], Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA], Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND], Rep. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA-6], Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Subjects
Healthcare
Source updated
10 January 2026
Summary
Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to revise provisions governing the importation of prescription drugs. Waives the limitation on importation of prescription drugs that have been exported from the United States. Prohibits the importation of a qualifying drug unless such drug is imported by: (1) a registered importer; or (2) an individual for personal use. Establishes registration conditions for importers and exporters. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to inspect places of business, verify chains of custody, inspect facilities, and determine compliance with registration conditions. Sets forth provisions governing the importation of qualifying drugs that are different from U.S. label drugs, including standards for judging such differences. Prohibits manufacturers from: (1) discriminating against registered exporters or importers; (2) causing there to be a difference in a prescription drug distributed in the United States and one distributed in a permitted country; (3) engaging in actions to restrict, prohibit, or delay the importation of a qualifying drug; or (4) engaging in any action that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determines discriminates against a person that engages or attempts to engage in the importation of a qualifying drug. States that the resale in the United States of prescription drugs that were properly sold abroad is not patent infringement. Requires the Secretary to educate consumers regarding prescription drug importation. Sets forth provisions governing the sale of prescription drugs through an Internet site. Includes the dispensing or selling of a prescription drug in violation of this Act as a prohibited act under FFDCA. Prohibits the introduction of restricted transactions with unregistered foreign pharmacies into a payment system or the completion of such transactions using a payment system.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
4 March 2009
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Source: IntroReferral
4 March 2009
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
5 March 2009
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2780-2781)
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in Senate · 4 March 2009 · Official file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 4 March 2009
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 4 March 2009
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 4 March 2009
Sponsors
- Rep. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME-2] · R · Sponsor
- Chuck Grassley · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · D · Sponsor
- Susan Collins · R · Sponsor
- Richard Durbin · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Nelson, Bill [D-FL-11] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Sponsor
- Bernie Sanders · I · Sponsor
- Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Johnson, Tim [D-SD-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO] · D · Sponsor
- John Thune · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK] · D · Sponsor
- Jeanne Shaheen · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R · Cosponsor
- Amy Klobuchar · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA-6] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR] · D · Cosponsor
- · sshr00 · Standing
Related records
- related to → Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009
- related to ← Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009
- related to ← Fair Pricing for Prescription Drugs Act
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/525
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/111/s/525
- us · 111-s-525 · source updated 10 January 2026