Politics and Counterfeit Drugs
The only constant in politics is change. This is evident on the campaign trail as presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are reconsidering their support of prescription drug importation. In fact, earlier this week, the Partnership for Safe Medicines met with McCain’s campaign to discuss the dangers of counterfeit drugs.
Currently, the United States has one of the safest drug supplies in the world because its pharmaceutical supply system is "closed" to importation. Once a drug is outside the strictly regulated distribution channel, there is no guarantee of its authenticity, effectiveness, or safety. We know from the recent incident in China of the deliberately contaminated milk and baby formula. This tragedy caused thousands of babies to be sick and so far has caused four deaths. Poorly regulated environments allow counterfeiters and unscrupulous sellers to thrive.
Anytime consumers venture outside of the U.S. supply system, they take on a very real risk of getting counterfeit drugs. All political leaders need to understand that drug importation programs, including state-government sponsored programs, encourage Americans-especially vulnerable patient populations such as minorities, seniors, and fixed income patients-to gamble with their health.
We urge both candidates to adhere to the Principles for Drug Safety. This invaluable resource can help to form the basis for a national strategy to strengthen the U.S. distribution system and curtail the criminal counterfeit drug trade. Specifically, the Partnership's principles addresses ways to protect the pharmaceutical supply chain, regulate online drug sellers, and fight counterfeit drugs.
All Americans should feel secure the medicines upon which they rely are safe, untainted and regulated to ensure the highest quality. The Partnership encourages Congress to enact stronger safety measures and enable law enforcement to deal with counterfeit drugs.
To join us in our stand against counterfeit drugs or obtain your own copy of the Principles for Drug Safety, please visit SafeMedicines.org.
Online Pharmacies and Prescriptions
Marv Shepherd, PhD
Earlier this week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce finished the mark up of the “Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008” (H.R. 6353). The bill addresses a major safety issue associated with online pharmacies—the sale of controlled substances over the Internet without a valid prescription.
One of the Partnership’s core principles for drugs safety is that we must regulate online pharmacies. We believe that no one should be able to purchase any type of prescription drug, not just controlled substances, over the Internet without a valid prescription. Prescription drugs are not safe for use without the supervision of a licensed healthcare practitioner—that is why these drugs should only be dispensed with a valid prescription.
Before a healthcare practitioner issues a prescription, he or she examines the patient to determine the appropriate treatment. Online pharmacies that don’t require a prescription or only ask customers to fill out a questionnaire before getting a prescription drug deny consumers the protection of an in-person meeting and provided by a licensed healthcare practitioner.
Consumers—such as the bill’s namesake—have died from purchasing drugs from online pharmacies that sold them without a prescription or through an online survey. These deaths may have been avoided if they had gone to their doctor to get a prescription for the drug instead of an online pharmacy.
Unfortunately, mandating prescriptions for drugs purchased online will not be enough to stop this public health threat. Internet drug peddlers will simply bridge the gap by creating and selling fake prescriptions. These unscrupulous online businesses will continue to sell whatever to whomever, as long as they are paid. If we truly want to avoid another deadly incident of failed online pharmacy safety, Congress needs to take this opportunity to further address the vulnerabilities threatening the safety of our prescription drugs.
Visit SafeMedicines.org to learn more about the dangers of unregulated online pharmacies.
International Efforts to Combat Counterfeit Drugs
The counterfeit drugs are a global dilemma touching all countries, including the United States. However, in some areas of Africa, up to 30 percent of the medicines for sale are counterfeit drugs.
To help combat this life-threatening problem, earlier this week, Scott LaGanga, the Executive Director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, traveled to Ghana to meet with West African leaders to discuss how we can work together keep dangerous counterfeit drugs out of the hands of the unsuspecting public. To find out more, click here.