Pharmacy Society Concerned
About Importing Canadian Medicine
Madison, WI, November 3, 2003 – Leading regulators and health officials appeared together today at a press conference at the State House to address the ongoing efforts of Governor  Doyle to import prescription drugs from Canada despite prohibition of the practice by federal and state law. The press conference was called to respond to growing interest in importation from Governor Doyle and others.
The concept of importing prescription drugs from Canada has been gaining credibility as a potential means to lower the cost of prescription drugs. “We understand that people are worried about the cost of their prescriptions, and for many people the option of ordering their medicines from Canada is attractive,” said Christopher Decker, Executive Vice President of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, “But importing medicines from Canada is not the cure all for high prices.”
“Consumers may get cheaper drugs but there is a huge question about the safety of the drugs being shipped. People may think these drugs are coming from Canada. In reality the source and, therefore, the safety of these medicines cannot be guaranteed,” continued Decker. “As emphasized recently in a series by the Washington Post, there is the real possibility that patients may become ill due to unapproved medications, incorrect dosages, and improperly stored and shipped medications."
"Patients may save a few dollars on their prescription costs, only to see the savings disappear when they have to deal with health emergencies brought on by counterfeit, expired, unapproved, or improperly dosed drugs," Decker explained. " We need to seek a real solution to Wisconsin’s citizens receiving cost effective medications. This is not just a state or regional issue, it’s one that needs a long term, national strategy that protects the integrity of the most sophisticated and safe drug distribution system in the world," he said.
Joining Decker at the press conference were Corey Hoze, Regional Director for Department of Health and Human Services, Thomas J. McGinnis, RPh, Director of Pharmacy Affairs in the Office of Policy at the Food and Drug Administration, and Susan Sutter, Chairman of the Pharmacy Examining Board for the State of Wisconsin.
According to Director Hoze, “Congress has given HHS Secretary Thompson and previous HHS Secretaries the authority to allow medications to be imported from Canada if he feels the safety of the medications can be guaranteed. Secretary Thompson, like Secretary Shalala before him, has refused to do so because of concerns about the safety of the imported medicines. HHS continues to feel that the best and most appropriate way to make prescription medicines affordable to our nation’s seniors is through a comprehensive Medicare drug benefit.”
The FDA maintains that allowing a single city or state to import prescription drugs from Canada has the potential to bypass the safeguards FDA has established to protect the country’s drug supply. “The safeguards we have established are there for a reason: they protect the safety of our drug supply and the health of consumers,” said the FDA’s McGinnis. “The FDA recently reviewed 1,153 prescription drugs at four different international mail facilities and we found 88% of the drugs were not FDA approved. Encouraging patients to purchase medicines outside of the U.S. pharmacy system puts patients in a ‘buyer beware’ situation.”
In addition to concerns about the safety of the drugs themselves Susan Sutter of the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board also expressed concerns about removing the patient-pharmacist relationship. “In addition to our concerns about the safety risk associated with the actual medications we also are concerned with the absence of a pharmacist being available to counsel patients.” The pharmacists continued, “We have made great strides in developing prescription drug management, drug interaction review, and counseling programs. To remove these services in addition to concerns about the safety of the medicines themselves is bad policy and bad healthcare.”
The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin provides leadership in education, advocacy and innovative services in order to optimize patient care through the utilization and support of rational drug therapy. It has over 2000 members throughout Wisconsin.
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