His announcement came Dec. 26 after U.S. Health and Human Services Donna Shalala ended as unworkable a plan approved by the last Congress for the reimportation of some drugs. Under terms of the legislation, it was to be implemented only if the administration found that it would significantly lower prices for prescription drugs.

Sanders said he agreed with Shalala that last-minute amendments to the bill, sought by pharmaceutical companies and supported by Republican members of Congress, had created too many loopholes.

Among objectionable features of the last bill, said Sanders, were "failure to require that the drug makers allow reimporters to use the FDA approved labeling; failure to ban drug makers from imposing contract terms on foreign wholesalers which would undermine the intent of the law, and a 5-year sunset period, which would discourage the necessary private investment to fully implement the system." -- Donald H. Harrison