[ Senate Bill 5 was one of the last pieces of legislation passed this year by lawmakers.
The bill was designed to get less expensive prescription drugs from Canada with the help of a state run website.
It was a concept the governor at first said he would not support, but in the end both he and the bill's sponsor Assembly woman Barbara Buckley from Clark County considered it a major piece of legislation for the 2005 session. At that time Buckely said, "You know if you are tough and fight for want you believe in, you usually win."
At that time Buckley had reason to be optimistic.
Once passed, the wheels started rolling...the pharmacy board inspected various Canadian Pharmacies and approved many of them to do business here in Nevada.
But there was one tiny sticking point...the final bill. approved by both houses, stated only F-D-A approved drugs could be sold here in Nevada. That varied slightly from the original bill which stated both F-D-A and its Canadian equivalent could sell prescription drugs here. But because labeling in Canada and even tracking codes are different from the F-D-A, the final version, says the Attorney General, means the website cannot legally operate here in Nevada.
Barbara Buckley's reaction to the opinion was incredulous. " To not approve this law because the packaging is written in french and english is absolutely ludicrous."
Next month the state pharmacy board will consider the attorney general's opinion. The board can decide to abide by that decision or inact the new law regardless of the a-g's interpretation. Buckley says she will lobby for the board to do the latter.

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