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Return to Expedite-Rx Home Page Might Someone in Washington Be Listening to U.S. Consumers? – Tom Curb, R.Ph. (Maybe it’s just pre-election rhetoric, or maybe some politicos believe it’s more important to represent the electorate than drug industry lobbyists. Whichever – a status report follows.)
"The Squeaky Wheel" - From the Boston Globe, (7/15/2004): A new poll by the AARP says about eight out of 10 older Americans favor legalizing the importation of prescription drugs from Canada… The sentiment in favor of cross-border medicine shipments cuts across demographic, ideological, and even party lines…Seventy-nine percent said legalizing imported drugs would be an important consideration when they cast their ballots in the fall elections. (Drug costs as a percentage of Americans' income rose 50 percent from 1998 to 2002…the study said. AARP said in May that drug companies have raised prices from 2000 to 2003 three times faster than the rate of inflation.) "Feeling The Voters’ Pain" - From the Associated Press, (8/16/2004): Federal drug regulators are taking a "lighter touch" in their efforts to stop a growing number of cities and states from importing prescription drugs from Canada, saying, "As long as they're coming from Canada, and as long as they're from drug stores that we have some experience with, then we would have a lighter touch probably." This FDA statement reinforces an earlier one reported in the Boston Globe (10/24/2003): …a Senior Food and Drug Administration official said yesterday that the agency won't sue cities and states that set up plans to bring in the unapproved drugs. "We're not considering legal action against cities or states," said William K. Hubbard, associate commissioner for policy and planning at the FDA. "Headin’ Them Up, and Movin’ Them Out" – Also from the Associated Press: The city of Boston is taking advantage of that "new" (FDA) stance. Boston is forging ahead with its pilot program allowing city workers and retirees to get cheaper drugs from Canada, and…from the New York Times, (8/16/2004): …Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois is preparing to help residents of his state buy cheaper medicines from Britain and Ireland, as well as Canada. Expanding the market to Britain and Ireland, …will spread demand beyond Canada, where some suppliers have reported shortages of certain drugs. "The drug companies have pretty aggressively been shutting supplies to Canada, and we want to ensure that the supply will meet the demand," a spokeswoman for Mr. Blagojevich, said. "Ultimately, they can't shut down supplies to the world to keep prices high in the United States.""The Proof is in the Pudding" - From the Montgomery (AL) Advertiser (8/13/2004): In 2002, the city of Montgomery (AL) began a program to give employees the option of buying prescription drugs from Canada. John Carnell, risk manager for the city, said the program has run smoothly since. He said prescriptions from area doctors are sent directly to a licensed, legitimate pharmacy in Canada -- not through the Internet -- and delivered within two to three weeks. A company in Texas (guess who) serves as a pharmacy benefits manager and takes patient profiles.He (Carnell) estimated about 10 to 20 percent of the city's employees, retired former employees and dependents covered under the program have taken part in the Canadian purchase option. In its first year, he said, the program saved the city $500,000, and it continues to save between $18,000 and $30,000 each month. "It's been a great program and all our people who use it, love it," he said. "We've had no complaints." …QED…
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