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Staying Healthy

FDA, Illinois Pharmacists Start Buyer-Beware Campaign

Campaign Says Canadian Drugs May Not Be Safe

UPDATED: 4:11 pm EST February 5, 2004

While more than 1 million Americans are buying prescription drugs from Canada, Illinois pharmacists and the Food and Drug Administration have joined together for a buyer-beware campaign.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
COST IN CANADA
That's not sitting well with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has announced a plan to buy drugs from Canada.

Pharmacists and FDA officials are warning consumers not to buy prescription drugs on the Internet because of safety issues, but some believe the pharmacists have a different motivation -- to save pharmacy jobs.

The campaign is asking pharmacies throughout the state to post warnings that looks can be deceiving, advising customers not to buy prescriptions from Canada, where they are cheaper.

"I don't know anything about medications up in Canada: where they were made, how they were made, whether they were made in facilities the FDA would allow them to be made in," said Tom McGinnis of the FDA.

The Canadian connection is growing, with an estimated $600 million a year spent by Americans on prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies, much of that coming from Internet orders. But some consumers are wary.

"I'm not going to take a risk when I take medication," one pharmacy customer said. "I'm going to take the safe route."

Others are skeptical about the campaign.

"They're trying to protect their market, and the best way to protect their market is to take care of their consumers," said one senior citizen.

Seniors are lobbying for help in paying for prescription drugs, and Blagojevich is trying to get a waiver to allow the legal sale of Canadian drugs.

"We can have safety and savings if the FDA would only work with us in a constructive way," Blagojevich said.

U.S. Rep. Rod Emanuel, D-Ill., joins the governor in questioning why the FDA joined the Illinois pharmacists on the campaign.

"The FDA needs to go back to regulating rather than representing the pharmaceutical industry," Emanuel said.

He said drugs imported from Canada have not harmed one American. He said he'd like to see the FDA work with Congress to find ways to lower drug prices.


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