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Canadian Pharmacists Gravely Concerned About Depleted Prescription Drugs by American Consumers |
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 11 October 2006 |
The Ontario Pharmacists' Association has issued an open letter to Canada's Minister of Health, Tony Clement expressing their grave concerns that a recent ruling by the United States' legislative body that will again allow U.S. citizens to cross the Canadian border in order to purchase cheaper prescription drugs. The new legislations include relaxing border enforcement as American citizens re-enter the U.S. with large supplies of prescription drugs.
Ontario pharmacists are "deeply disturbed" that the relaxed U.S. legislation was enacted without any consultation from the Canadian government or Canadian pharmacists. An excerpt from the letter reads, "We are deeply disturbed that in spite of the serious implications for Canada's drug supply and the health and safety of Canadians, there is no evidence of consultation with the Government of Canada, or of any effort to ask how our pharmacists and drug experts view American patients raiding Canada's medicine cabinet".
Canadian pharmacists say they "do not want to become America's drug store" and are not prepared to become a solution to "the shortcomings of the U.S. health care system and its problem with high drug costs". With a U.S. demand exceeding ten times the size of Canadian supply, pharmacists are warning of a severe shortage of prescription drugs for our own citizens which will ultimately result in a "serious threat to public health and safety in Canada".
The Association also expresses grave concern for the potential emergence of national security vulnerabilities in both countries by off-shore "drug terrorists" who misrepresent themselves as legitimate Internet pharmacies and deal in counterfeit drug sales. The open letter quotes a 2005 U.S. Congressional document which said, "the nation's medicine supply is vulnerable to exploitation by organized criminals, drug traffickers and terrorists. 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."
The idea of "bulk importation" of drugs purchased by American consumers was not included in the recent legislative changes but the Association warns that U.S. Congress intend to allow "full-blown importation legislation in the future." If bulk importation is enacted, Canadian drug supplies would be depleted within an estimated 38 days.
The Association expresses disappointment in the Canadian government who has "stood idly by while the U.S. has made changes that threaten the Canadian prescription drug supply" which will result in dangerous heakth and safety concerns for all Canadians. The Association is requesting the federal government "take immediate action
to protect Canada's prescription drug supply by banning prescription drug sales to U.S. patients by all means, including "foot traffic", Internet and mail order".
Footnote: HalifaxLive contacted the Canadian Minister of Health's office several weeks ago on this issue but as of this writing, our email remains unanswered. |
