Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has called on the Federal Trade Commission to regulate this disturbing practice.
The indictment has raised questions about free-speech issues and the government's right to regulate the practice of medicine.
"States tend not to want to regulate the practice of medicine or dentistry," Dr. Frey said.
Once the Food and Drug Administration approves a drug for sale, doctors can prescribe it for whatever disease they see fit because the F.D.A. does not regulate the practice of medicine.
But the bill is the first piece of legislation in the country that tries to regulate the practice, although it does not require businesses to participate.
Yehualashet said governments must better regulate the practice and ensure that domestic adoptions, foster-care schemes and other alternatives were fully explored before international placements were considered.
The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the practice of medicine; after a drug is approved for one purpose, doctors often prescribe it for other purposes.
Many critics of the practice had hoped that the Obama Administration would put an end to mountain-removal mining; however, earlier this month, the Administration announced that it had decided only to regulate the practice more tightly.
Neither statutes nor agency rules allow the commissioner to ask doctors to pause in their use of a medical product because the agency does not regulate the practice of medicine.
"The Supreme Court does regulate the practice of law," he said, "if nothing more than to be the bully pulpit to get lawyers to think about courtesy while still vigorously representing their client".
