Healthcare Leadership Council warns of possible consequences for internationally sourced drugs.
+ Regulatory
Jamie Barrand | Dec 5, 2015

Healthcare Leadership Council warns of possible consequences for internationally sourced drugs

Many Americans get their prescription medications from Canada. Although they may be saving money at the outset, potential problems with imported pharmaceuticals could prove costly in the long run. Mary Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council on Prescription Drug Importation Legislation, said the truth about drug importation could potentially be "perilous for patients, consumers and the future development of new cures and improved treatments."

"The prevalence of counterfeit and improperly altered drugs is a very real global problem," Grealy said. "The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 10 percent of the medications on the worldwide market are counterfeits. Americans have died as a result of these fake medicines."

Grealy said drugs sold in the U.S. are overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which puts forth every effort to ensure Americans have access to safe, effective prescription medications.

"It may seem a benign step to allow drugs from Canada to flow into our country, but because we can’t oversee the sourcing of drugs attained by Canadian pharmacies, importation legislation would make it more difficult for the FDA and law enforcement authorities to protect consumer health," Grealy said. "Lawmakers also need to acknowledge that prescription drug importation is tantamount to importing other governments’ price controls. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program has provided affordable, accessible medications to millions by relying upon consumer choice and private sector competition instead of government price controls."

Grealy said if too many Americans begin getting their drugs from international sources, the ramifications would be dire.

"Importing the heavy-handed pricing policies of other nations will inarguably have an adverse effect on progress being made on new therapies for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses," she said. "The U.S. Senate has rejected this bad idea for over two decades. It should continue to do so."

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