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The Rhode Island Pharmacists Association (RIPA) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) are speaking out against new state legislation that calls for the licensing of Canadian pharmacies in Rhode Island beginning in January.



There are presently millions of Americans without health insurance and while the RIPA and the NACDS acknowledge this problem, they fear that such a bill may jeopardize the safety of your medications.

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On October 4th of this year Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich initiated a program called I-SaveRx, providing Illinois residents with a means to purchase prescription drugs online from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Medications available through this program are often priced 25 to 50 percent less than what an uninsured American would pay at the average pharmacy. In his campaign to challenge unruly costs of American prescription drugs, Gov. Blagojevich sent letters to the 49 other governors in the union, urging them to consider participation in the program.

Govs. Jim Doyle (Wisconsin) and Bob Holden (Missouri) enrolled their states in I-SaveRx within a month of its establishment. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced on Tuesday that her state is also implementing the I-SaveRx program.

However, it is currently a violation of federal law to import prescription medications from other countries and, according to the RIPA and the NACDS, with good reason. Even though each foreign pharmacy and wholesaler that participates in the I-SaveRx program has been thoroughly inspected and approved by the state of Illinois, some argue that without FDA approval, there is still no guarantee that the drugs provided are safe.

What makes this new Rhode Island legislation so controversial is the issue of "licensing" Canadian pharmacies. Of the four states presently enrolled in I-SaveRx, not one actually licenses foreign pharmacies.

Coventry Senator Leo Blais (Dist. 24) has served in the Rhode Island Senate since 1992 and has served the public as a pharmacist for 25 years. Sen. Blais reaffirms the apprehensions expressed by the RIPA and the NACDS. "I share their same concerns regarding the verification and safety of these imported prescriptions. Initiatives are being put forward to allow medications from Mexico, Europe, and Canada to be purchased from within the United States by independent consumers. It's the supply issue that's key- where are these drugs really coming from? I fear that without guidance and regulations from the FDA, widespread harm could result. The state sites that endorse importation also have disclaimers to inform customers that buying prescription drugs is a violation of federal law. If something does go wrong, where is the liability?"

Ordering from I-SaveRx or other websites that import discount prescriptions from Canada and Europe is viewed as "civil disobedience" and prosecutorial discretion is left to the federal government. Sen. Blais says punishment rarely amounts to more than a "slap on the wrists".

As of yet, Rhode Island is not a participating member of I-SaveRx even though some state officials, such as Sec. Of State Matt Brown, would like that to change. Brown sent Gov. Carcieri a letter earlier this month urging him to enroll Rhode Island in the program. Even though the governor's response remains to be heard, the state website, www.state.ri.us, currently has a link called "RIRx" which transfers residents to the Wisconsin website from which medications can be ordered.

Sen. Blais does not deny that the cost of prescription medicines, especially to seniors and the uninsured, is significant but he urges residents to take advantage of other local assistance programs before turning outside the law and United States borders.

"There are certainly a lot of people without health insurance but there are several programs which can provide assistance," says Blais. "For instance, the URI College of Pharmacy offers a medical outreach program where qualified individuals can apply for free prescription medicines."

The administration and cost of prescription medicines is a weighty issue. As the state and federal government sift through the issue, all angles must be considered. Blais adds, "I am concerned as a policy maker and a health care provider that cheap prescription prices are going to undermine the public's real need for safety."

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