torresD
2005-04-13 07:42:05 UTC
"It's intentional misinformation once again,"
said MacKay.
"It was bought and paid for by (drug companies),
so you have to consider the source.
But it's unfortunate the mayor would stoop to this."
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050411/w041180.html
WASHINGTON (CP) -
Prescription drug imports from Canada and
elsewhere could become a tool for terrorists
and efforts to legalize them should stop now,
said a report Monday from former New York
mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The report,
commissioned by drug companies that
lose big profits on the cheaper imports,
noted Canadian Internet pharmacies are filling
U.S. prescriptions with medicines from foreign
countries and counterfeit drug cases are rising.
"Several credible sources
have identified links between
counterfeit goods,
including pharmaceuticals,
and organized criminals
and terrorist groups," said Giuliani.
"It is not difficult to imagine a
scenario in which terrorist groups
could use this system to either finance
operations or, worse, as a vehicle of attack."
The report calls on the U.S. Homeland
Security Department to conduct a threat
assessment of drug imports.
"We should not contemplate opening our borders
to threats to our medicine supply when in all
other aspects we are searching for ways to tighten
the security of our borders," said Giuliani.
It was the latest salvo from
opponents of the flourishing trade.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has long warned
of safety concerns even as several states and some
cities devised programs for their citizens and
Congress is considering several bills to
legalize the practice.
David MacKay, executive director of
the Canadian International Pharmacy
Association,
said the report is full of errors,
including suggestions that Canadian
Internet pharmacies are unregulated.
"It's intentional misinformation once again,"
said MacKay.
"It was bought and paid for by (drug companies),
so you have to consider the source.
But it's unfortunate the mayor would stoop to this."
Canadian pharmacists fill about 30 per cent
of their U.S. prescriptions with drugs from
other countries,
but they are mostly from Europe or other
industrialized countries with similar
tight regulations, said MacKay.
"You can't lump Canada in
with countries like Pakistan.
That's just a scare tactic."
"And again with this terrorist card.
Everyone is tired of hearing this," he said.
"And counterfeiters don't even exist in Canada.
We're as resistant to counterfeiting
as you can get while the U.S. virtually
invites it."
Secondary wholesalers in the United States
are allowed to repackage and re-label medicines,
making them vulnerable to scams, he said.
That's not allowed in Canada.
The report says it would cost billions
for the FDA to implement a safe import
inspection system.
Meanwhile, several organizations in
Canada have been pushing Health
Minister Ujjal Dosanjh to crack
down on imports.
Dosanjh is weighing several options,
including banning Canadian doctors from
signing prescriptions for patients
they haven't examined,
forcing Americans to show up in person
to get their drugs or stopping exports
of patented drugs at Canada's federally
regulated prices.
Guiliani's report was commissioned by
the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America.
"We have several safe and legal options
for those looking for ways to reduce
their prescription drug costs,"
said president Billy Tauzin.
U.S. drugmakers,
who've been criticized for opposing imports,
announced last week they'd spend $30 million
U.S. to develop and promote a program to help
poor Americans get the medicines they need.
said MacKay.
"It was bought and paid for by (drug companies),
so you have to consider the source.
But it's unfortunate the mayor would stoop to this."
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050411/w041180.html
WASHINGTON (CP) -
Prescription drug imports from Canada and
elsewhere could become a tool for terrorists
and efforts to legalize them should stop now,
said a report Monday from former New York
mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The report,
commissioned by drug companies that
lose big profits on the cheaper imports,
noted Canadian Internet pharmacies are filling
U.S. prescriptions with medicines from foreign
countries and counterfeit drug cases are rising.
"Several credible sources
have identified links between
counterfeit goods,
including pharmaceuticals,
and organized criminals
and terrorist groups," said Giuliani.
"It is not difficult to imagine a
scenario in which terrorist groups
could use this system to either finance
operations or, worse, as a vehicle of attack."
The report calls on the U.S. Homeland
Security Department to conduct a threat
assessment of drug imports.
"We should not contemplate opening our borders
to threats to our medicine supply when in all
other aspects we are searching for ways to tighten
the security of our borders," said Giuliani.
It was the latest salvo from
opponents of the flourishing trade.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has long warned
of safety concerns even as several states and some
cities devised programs for their citizens and
Congress is considering several bills to
legalize the practice.
David MacKay, executive director of
the Canadian International Pharmacy
Association,
said the report is full of errors,
including suggestions that Canadian
Internet pharmacies are unregulated.
"It's intentional misinformation once again,"
said MacKay.
"It was bought and paid for by (drug companies),
so you have to consider the source.
But it's unfortunate the mayor would stoop to this."
Canadian pharmacists fill about 30 per cent
of their U.S. prescriptions with drugs from
other countries,
but they are mostly from Europe or other
industrialized countries with similar
tight regulations, said MacKay.
"You can't lump Canada in
with countries like Pakistan.
That's just a scare tactic."
"And again with this terrorist card.
Everyone is tired of hearing this," he said.
"And counterfeiters don't even exist in Canada.
We're as resistant to counterfeiting
as you can get while the U.S. virtually
invites it."
Secondary wholesalers in the United States
are allowed to repackage and re-label medicines,
making them vulnerable to scams, he said.
That's not allowed in Canada.
The report says it would cost billions
for the FDA to implement a safe import
inspection system.
Meanwhile, several organizations in
Canada have been pushing Health
Minister Ujjal Dosanjh to crack
down on imports.
Dosanjh is weighing several options,
including banning Canadian doctors from
signing prescriptions for patients
they haven't examined,
forcing Americans to show up in person
to get their drugs or stopping exports
of patented drugs at Canada's federally
regulated prices.
Guiliani's report was commissioned by
the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America.
"We have several safe and legal options
for those looking for ways to reduce
their prescription drug costs,"
said president Billy Tauzin.
U.S. drugmakers,
who've been criticized for opposing imports,
announced last week they'd spend $30 million
U.S. to develop and promote a program to help
poor Americans get the medicines they need.