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By PATRICK GRAHAM
Rappahannock News Special Writer
RICHMOND — State Del. Jerry M. Wood, D-31st District, owner of Fauquier Pharmacy in Warrenton, withdrew last week his legislation that would have required drug manufacturers to lower the prices of drugs sold to pharmacies and other drug retailers.
Wood said the bill would have corrected huge disparities in drug prices charged to pharmacies and the state Department of Health. For example, the state government pays about 60 cents for a package of birth control pills while a pharmacy pays $20 for the same package. Wood said.
“If I can buy cheaper then I can sell cheaper," said Wood. “The bill was in the best interest of the consumers of the commonwealth."
The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee on Jan. 19 voted unanimously to allow Wood to kill the bill after the pharmaceutical industry threatened that the bill would force the industry to raise prices on drugs sold to the state.
“I would end up costing the state money,” Wood said, saying the bill could have cost the state’s Medicare program $23 million. “This is the way the drug manufacturers play the game.”
The drug manufacturing industry argued that the bill violated federal anti-trust laws, was unconstitutional and would even
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