Canadian And American Pharmacists Associations Jointly Warn Against Drug Importation Policies

The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) have issued a joint statement in opposition to U.S. federal legislation authorizing personal and commercial importation of prescription drugs from Canada.

“While we recognize the desire to address affordability issues in the U.S.,” they write, “we strongly oppose the importation of prescription drugs from Canada because of the risks these policies pose to patient safety and
continuity of care.”

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The American Pharmacists Association Writes Congress to Oppose Importation

On March 22, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), which represents 64,000 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students and other pharmacy professionals wrote a letter to Congress opposing plans to legalize importation of non-FDA approved drugs. These proposals, they wrote, are “in direct conflict with recent efforts by Congress and federal agencies to increase the integrity and security of the U.S. drug supply.”

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Former FDA Commissioners Warn About Drug Importation

The Washington Post reports that the four most recent FDA commissioners have warned Congress that American patients will suffer if they import drugs from other countries, citing fake, substandard and contaminated drugs as potential consequences.

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Statement of The Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance on U.S. legislation to import medication from Canadian pharmacies.

In 2016, The Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance wrote a letter asking American “not to raid Canada’s pharmacies to try and buy cheaper medicines.” “Our newspapers,” they wrote, “are filled every day with stories of patients struggling to get medicines they are prescribed because we have barely enough drug supply to meet our needs. Shortages of medications across all therapeutic types have been happening more and more frequently, and Canadian patients are endangered by them.”

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