May 4, 2007

Congress Should Avoid Opening Dangerous Door Of Rx Importation

The U.S. Senate has been again deliberating the issue of drug importation, which could expose consumers to dangerous, counterfeit or adulterated prescription medications, without the cost savings promised by importation proponents.

• In recent years, the Senate has regularly considered legislation to allow reimportation of pharmaceuticals.  Thankfully, cooler heads have always prevailed.
   
• Nevertheless, some lawmakers trying to attach importation language to an FDA reauthorization bill. Senators are considering that measure along with an amendment that would enable the Secretary of Health and Human Services to steer away from drug importation if consumer safety could not be guaranteed.
   
• Importation is unfortunately portrayed as a pro-consumer action when, in fact, it undermines efforts to increase drug safety in the United States.

Importation was a bad idea in the past.  It's still a bad idea today.  Congress should not insist on opening up America's prescription drug supply to unsafe products.

• Proponents claim that Americans could get safe medicines from Canada and should be able to do that for cheaper than American prices.  But that claim isn't exactly true.
   
• Many prescription products sold by Canadian pharmacies – especially Internet firms – don't originate in Canada.  They actually come from Third World nations, China or elsewhere.  Or they’ve been shipped from country to country to country.  Canada allows transshipment of third-country medicines. And the Canadian government refuses to vouch for the products' quality and safety.
   
• Many "Canadian" drugs are knock-offs of the real thing.  Others haven't been stored or handled properly and have become impotent or harmful. Still others have been adulterated, had extra ingredients added or otherwise pose a health hazard.
   
• Virtually all past Food and Drug Administrators have said the safety of imported drugs can't be guaranteed.  The Health and Human Services Secretaries of bipartisan administrations have said they cannot certify that imported drugs are safe.

Reimportation holds no guarantee that the medicines will save consumers money.

• Of the Senate importation amendment, the Washington Post said in a recent editorial, "This is a mirage; importation will not solve the problem of drug pricing."
   
• The Canadian government has threatened to restrict its prescription drug supply from becoming a back door for supplying American consumers.  Well, when you have lower supply of something, while demand remains high, then you end up with higher prices.
   
• Once enough steps have been put into place to address safety hazards and protect against legal liabilities in the event of counterfeit drugs, any potential cost savings are gone.

Importation is an idea whose time hasn't come, nor will it ever be appropriate.  Thankfully, the Bush administration has threatened to veto the bill if it contains importation language.  When the stakes of public health and safety get that high, a veto is the only defense left. It would be wrong to jeopardize patients' health and the public's confidence in the U.S. drug supply for cost savings that would be nothing more than a broken promise.