From Forbes.com:

The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted 63-28 in favor of an amendment that proposes changing federal law to permit imports of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries where medicines cost less than they do in the United States. Supporters of the move say they hope that wider access to less expensive foreign drugs will drive down drug prices in the U.S., the Associated Press reported.

“The fact is, we are paying the highest prices for brand-name prescription drugs in the world and that’s not fair. Let’s make the global economy work for everybody,” said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who sponsored the amendment to legislation related to the Food and Drug Administration.

While the idea has wide popular support, the White House and U.S. drug industry oppose imports of foreign drugs. President Bush has said he’ll veto the final FDA legislation if it includes such a provision, the AP reported.

We’d love to get excited about this, but there’s no way it’s going to become law, unfortunately. Perhaps the next president will be less beholden to Big Pharma.