Canadian Importation Jeff Anderson

The issue With the ever-increasing prices in prescription drugs in the U.S. the people have looked for alternatives to the problem. One avenue open to the American public is importing drugs from other countries. Brand-name drugs tend to cost 40 to 80 percent less in Canada than in the U.S. Has led to more and more people looking toward Canada as an alternative to the ever increasingly expensive pharmaceuticals.

Legality Whether this practice will be allowed to continue is a reoccurring issue being passed around Congress. As various Bush-appointed taskforces study the issue, and special-interest groups lobby to make all aspects of this practice formally illegal, the future of this method of competition is under debate. Legally imported drugs Manufactured in foreign FDA-approved or inspected facilities Made in the U.S., sent abroad, then imported back into the U.S. by the manufacturer under proper controls and in compliance with the FD&C Act

The system needs change That should tell you something’s wrong with the system when the drugs are sold at other countries for far less than people could purchase them in the U.S., and for the American public to get their hands on those same drugs made in the U.S. at more reasonable prices, the drugs have to be shipped out of the country, then shipped back in.

Risks There are risks to importation Some say safety should not be sacrificed for affordability. The significantly increasing volume of imported drugs makes it difficult to quantify, monitor, control, and ensure complete safety, and also where as some foreign facilities manufacture U.S. approved versions, they may also make unapproved versions and sell them on the U.S. market.

Risks (cont.) There are particular products of concern, including controlled substances, drugs that must be refrigerated or frozen, drugs that have specific post-marketing risk management programs, drugs that are highly susceptible to counterfeiting on the global market. Imported drugs are not always therapeutically equivalent to FDA-approved drugs available in the U.S. Drugs can be either sub-potent where you don’t achieve desired results due to low dosage, or super-potent, there might be too much of the active drug in each tablet.

Risks (cont.) Product testing at the border alone does not necessarily ensure that imported drugs were manufactured, handled, or stored in such a way as to maintain their quality, safety, and efficiency. Drugs from countries with less developed regulatory systems may pose greater risks. Purchasing prescription drugs over the internet without a prescription has been found to be relatively easy to accomplish, where you simply fill out a form to which a ‘doctor’ reviews and approves your prescription. In those cases, the lack of an adequate health professional/patient relationship is of particular interest.

Risks (cont.) People who purchase drugs from other countries over the Internet might not know for certain that the vendor is indeed a licensed pharmacy. These reasons among others and of course the campaign contributions they receive, have the Bush task forces proclaiming “no!” whenever asked if any form of importation should be allowed to the American public. Some of the same reasons can even be cited about drugs made within U.S. borders, especially with new, replacement ‘equivalent’ or experimental drugs. With any product you purchase the rule holds true: Buyer beware.

Where as they do have good points, Its common knowledge that health goes hand in hand with money; those with money can afford the medical help and medications they need, however, a large portion of the population, especially those on fixed incomes, or without quality insurance which reimburses most of the cost, can ill afford these ever increasing prices of medications needed. Nobody likes to choose between a needed medication for health or quality of life, and buying the normal amount of food a person needs that month.

I-SaveRx Importation program developed by Rod Blagojevich Available to Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Missouri residents Prescription refilling program that allows consumers to purchase safe and affordable prescription refills from licensed, inspected pharmacies in Canada and the United Kingdom. Medications are purchased from retailers or wholesalers in Canada, Ireland or the United Kingdom.

Features Used for refilling prescriptions as turnaround is near 20 days Works with licensed vendors. Operates under a stringent system of quality controls and multiple safety checks. Inspected and approved by state regulatory agencies. Follows the same standards and procedures used by Illinois pharmacies.

Excluded Most generic drugs cost less in the U.S. Medications requiring refrigeration are excluded since they may spoil during transit. Narcotics and controlled substances are excluded because of safety concerns as well as laws and regulations. Medications, such as antibiotics for an infection, are excluded because of the time required to purchase them abroad. Program not suitable for everyone as all payments are out-of-pocked and not reimbursed by insurance companies.

Conclusion Since all U.S. bound manufacturers seem to all be in collusion with each other and the insurance companies, some method of competition could be an alternative to purchasing these ever more expensive U.S. prescription drugs. There are merits and risks to importation, and this is not by any means a perfect end all solution; but in this ‘price-fixed’ market where companies can overcharge any amount they wish in their piece of this multi-hundred Billion dollar industry, steps need to be taken to alleviate the problem.