Nevada launching Web site for Canada drug imports

SAN FRANCISCO, May 5 (Reuters) - Over objections by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Nevadans will be able to buy prescription drugs from Canada over the Internet starting next week, a spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn said on Friday.

"Monday is the anointed day," said Steve George, a spokesman for the Republican governor, referring to when a state Web site linking consumers to pharmacies in Canada goes into operation.

Nevada regulators gave the Web site their final blessing on Thursday after weighing a review of the program by the state attorney general, who had been skeptical about the measure passed by state lawmakers last year.

Responding to fast-rising drug prices, a number of U.S. states and local government have urged the federal government to allow imports of prescription drugs, which often cost less abroad. The U.S. government opposes the imports.

"There will be a caveat on the Web site saying that the federal government views getting prescriptions filled in Canada with non-FDA-approved drugs as illegal," George said.