FDA Seizes Some Medications from I-SaveRx Reimportation Program
FDA in the first two weeks of February blocked more than one-fourth of prescription drug shipments that U.S. residents had purchased from Canada through the I-Save RX program, the Chicago Tribune reports (Chase/Parsons, Chicago Tribune, 3/10). Illinois began I-Save RX in October 2004, and Wisconsin, Missouri and Kansas later joined the program. The states contract with CanaRx, a Canadian pharmacy benefit manager that operates a network of online pharmacies, to allow residents to connect with a clearinghouse of 45 pharmacies and prescription drug wholesalers in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Residents can purchase only prescription refills, and most generic medications, narcotics and treatments that require refrigeration or other special care are excluded (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/11). Officials for CanaRx said that FDA is "selectively seizing" shipments though I-Save RX to increase "pressure" on states to end the program and "deter customers for I-Save RX by creating uncertainty over whether ordered drugs will actually arrive," the Tribune reports. In addition, they said that FDA "might be picking on I-Save RX to embarrass" Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), who has disagreed with the agency on the issue of prescription drug reimportation, according the Tribune. Officials from other Canadian pharmacies also said that they have observed an increase in the number of FDA seizures of shipments in recent weeks. According to the Tribune, the trend "could signal an aggressive new phase by regulators in their battle to stop Americans from getting their prescriptions from abroad."
Reaction
CanaRx President and CEO G. Anthony Howard said, "I won't say the FDA has targeted I-Save RX, but that's an unbelievable coincidence." He added that, in the past, "FDA has said, 'If it is for personal use, we'll allow [medications] to go into the country.' Now they're seizing their medications and not allowing it to go through." FDA Associate Commissioner of Policy and Planning William Hubbard said that the agency considers all shipments of imported prescription drugs illegal and denied that FDA has targeted I-Save RX. Hubbard said, "The inspectors' instructions are to open and inspect these foreign shipments when they have the time and capacity to do it" (Chicago Tribune, 3/10). Hubbard said that FDA seizes shipments of prescription drugs that often are counterfeited, such as the anti-cholesterol medication Lipitor (Lannan, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 3/9). Pfizer spokesperson Jack Cox said that FDA is "just enforcing U.S. law," adding, "They're only able to inspect a small number of packages, so the vast majority of illegal shipments are going to make it in" (Bloomberg/Boston Globe, 3/10). Blagojevich spokesperson Abby Ottenhoff called the number of FDA seizures of shipments purchased under I-Save RX "minuscule" compared with the total ordered through the program (Chicago Tribune, 3/10).
NPR's "All Things Considered" on Wednesday reported on efforts by pharmaceutical companies, FDA and the Canadian government to end the practice of prescription drug reimportation. The segment includes comments from Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh; Robert Goldberg, director of the Center for Medical Progress at the Manhattan Institute; Jeff Uhl, president and CEO of the Canadian online pharmacy Universal Drugstore; and a U.S. resident who reimports prescription drugs from Canada (Silberner, "All Things Considered," NPR, 3/9). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.