johnjacobs
Member
Reged: 05/04/02
Posts: 196
Loc: SE USA
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ROCKVILLE,Md.Providing an exclamation mark to the safety concerns the Food and Drug Administration has concerning prescription drug imports, the FDA and the United States Customs and Border Protection agency last month released statistics on a second round of drug seizures made at six U.S. points of entry.
In all, 1,728 packages containing unapproved medicines were confiscated, the majority of which (80 per-cent) were from Canada. The dangers of the imported medicines ranged from improper labeling for the U.S. market to drugs that had been recalled in their country of origin, but were, in fact, U.S.bound.
"Anyone who has a doubt about the risks that illegal importation poses, must recognize that these facts speak for themselves," stated Craig Fuller, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. "[The FDA's]conclusions emphasize the value of the community retail pharmacist" and the safety afforded from a closed pharmaceutical distribution system, he added.
Opposition is mounting in Canada to what is for them a growing prescription drug export business. 'It's time for the Canadian government to intervene and protect Canadian patients from the cross-border Inter-net drug trade," stated Lothar Dueck, president of the Coalition for Manitoba Pharmacy, in a press release late last month.
And Canadians are taking action. For instance, the Canadian Medical Protective Association last month stated it no longer would provide malpractice insurance to Canadian doctors who "co-sign" American prescriptions in order to facilitate the practice of Internet pharmacy, an action that the Canadian Medical Association publicly applauded.
www.Drugstorenews.com
Feb 16 issue, Page 58
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Sabine
Newbie
Reged: 02/08/04
Posts: 35
Loc: U.S.
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How irritating.
I can't believe they actually quoted a spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores--as if they have an objective take on this issue! I'm sure the consumer's safety is their number one priority.
Sabine.
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formerly "NewSimian" Registered 11/03
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dsmmcm
Old Hand
Reged: 11/08/03
Posts: 409
Loc: southwest US
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Man, I think they should focus 100% of their efforts on the Canadian/US boarder, not 80% Let's keep those dreaded T1's out of the US!
D
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henry1
Board Addict
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 304
Loc: North Central USA
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80 percent of the seized packages were from Canada? Its obvious whos being protected, and its not us.
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treading the backward path...
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sanclemente
Banned: also posting as Bruja
Reged: 01/18/04
Posts: 120
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I give you the gold star for the post of the day. Direct, to the poing, and is it ever true!!
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plotinus
Enthusiast
Reged: 09/16/03
Posts: 281
Loc: California
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Quote:
How irritating.
I can't believe they actually quoted a spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores--as if they have an objective take on this issue! I'm sure the consumer's safety is their number one priority.
Sabine.
NPR had a story last night on this issue. The big Pharma (Pfizer et al) are cutting off supplies of meds to Canada to intimidate Canadian pharmacies from shipping to US - it's very similar to situation in Mexico.
The major thing that people have to understand is that few of the patented meds coming from big Pharma are any better than older generic equivalents. Modern pharmaceutical miracles are 90% marketing hype.
Ask your doctor for a generic equivalent - no where is this more true than in blood pressure meds and cholesterol medications - none of the expensive patented stuff has absolutely been proven superior to older meds in efficacy. It's true that pateneted lipid solubile statins like Lipitor and Zocor may be 10+% better at making the numbers, but no one has proven that making the numbers is why statins are successful - two years after 'Scientific American' first published it, 'TIME' is now stating that the statins' anti-inflamatory ability may be more important than making the cholesterol numbers.
Sorry for the digression, but except in very unique cases best med is probably a generic, rather than a patented budget-buster. And if the genric is cheaper in Canada go for it. Big Pharma is like the movie industry, they can only prosper with block-busters and block-busters are usually a result of marketing, not significantly improved efficacy.
It is clear that the FDA, first and foremost, wants to protect big pharma block-busters. It's a total, shameful hoax perpetrated by the Federal-Pharmaceutical consortium and they should be ashamed. Meanwhile many states on the verge of bankruptcy are still struggling to find cost-effective decisions even id they are from Canada.
You have a clear choice in November 2004, think about it.
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Seano
Journeyman
Reged: 11/11/03
Posts: 84
Loc: Shelbyville
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Quote:
You have a clear choice in November 2004, think about it.
Yeah, a choice between two close members of the notorious Yale fraternity, Skull & Bones. Kerry '66. Dubya '68. If you have never heard of this check out Alexandra Robbins' recent book on the subject, to start with. Google might keep you busy for a few hours. It's not spooky Masonic witchcraft UFO gobbletygook, just plain old Golden Rule...them that have the GOLD, make the RULES. And make no mistake, Kerry works for the same rich Harkkonnen-like Old Money Dynasties that Bush I and II did, that Clinton did, etc, etc.
Handy Fact : More Iraqis were killed by our bombs and sanctions during Clinton's term in office than those during Gulf Wars I and II, combined. Again, you look it up.
I'm tired. This is supposed to be a thread on the free market and medications. I say, let good old supply and demand capitalism take care of the problem by overwhelming the U.S. customs and mails. Eventually, due to overwhelming demand, America will adopt the same Third World model for drug policy as it is currently moving towards with Economics. There won't be any money left here for any other approach.
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Sabine
Newbie
Reged: 02/08/04
Posts: 35
Loc: U.S.
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"NPR had a story last night on this issue." I heard it, too. Where would we be without NPR? Imagine if our only news sources were commercial (sorry to digress).
"It is clear that the FDA, first and foremost, wants to protect big pharma block-busters. It's a total, shameful hoax perpetrated by the Federal-Pharmaceutical consortium and they should be ashamed." I couldn't agree more, fellow curmudgeon. We do have a choice in November. I know Kerry won't institute all of the consumer protections Ralph Nader would, but what we have now is the most big-business-friendly administration in history! Between scratching big pharma's back and pandering to the right-wing "War on Drugs" types, OP/IOP users like us are in the crosshairs. Meanwhile, funding for public health plummets. Sorry, I don't mean to make this thread so political, but this really gets me angry.
Sabine
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formerly "NewSimian" Registered 11/03
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fred2112
Journeyman
Reged: 09/12/02
Posts: 73
Loc: US
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I think it was Ike Eisenhower who warned against the "Military-Industrial" complex. Now we have the "FDA-Big Pharma" complex...
Regards,
Fred
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moonshade
Old Hand
Reged: 12/01/02
Posts: 467
Loc: searching for my lost shaker o...
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I'm really surprised that 80 % of packages seized were from Canada.
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Jaketoo
Journeyman
Reged: 10/13/03
Posts: 88
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I recently received a letter from the FDA - appears 12.8 mg codeine Nurofen has not been approved by the FDA for use in this country as yet.
The letter states I have broken no laws but should show cause if the pills should be sent on to me.
If not, the drugs will be shipped back to the supplier in Australia without any cost on my part.
Well written letter.
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hibbs
Old Hand
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 444
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I ran across this poll today on Excite 3-1-04;
An elderly suburban Chicago couple - with encouragement from Illinois' governor - filed a lawsuit Thursday against the U.S. government to try to force it to allow states and individuals to import prescription drugs from Canada. The couple could save an average of 43% on drugs prescribed by their doctors if they had access to the less expensive Canadian drugs. The FDA supports the ban because it can't guarantee the safety of imported drugs. (AP)
Do you think that individuals should be allowed to import prescription drugs from Canada?
Yes 86% => 12519 votes
No 9% => 1407 votes
I'm not sure 2% => 422 votes
I don't care 0% => 102 votes
Current number of voters: 14450
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Caveman6666
Enthusiast
Reged: 01/15/03
Posts: 218
Loc: Earth
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Quote:
The FDA supports the ban because it can't guarantee the safety of imported drugs.
The FDA can't even guarantee the safety of NON-imported drugs, what with all the counterfitting going on, and they're REALLY worried about drugs manufactured here and re-imported? Right.
Nothing but lackeys for the pharmaceutical lobby.
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