Partnership for Safe Medicines 2019 Congressional Briefings (September 24, 2019)
On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, counterfeit medication victims and their families, American and Canadian patient groups, local and federal law enforcement, and other experts in the fight against counterfeit medicines are gathering in Washington, D.C. to discuss how importation proposals threaten to trigger drug shortages in Canada while wreaking havoc on medication safety for U.S. patients.
Since our last briefing in January 2019, the number of states reporting fake counterfeit medicine laced with fentanyl or fentanyl analogues has risen from 46 to 49. Of those, 37 states have also reported deaths caused by these fake pills. Additionally, Representative David Kustoff will announce his proposed legislation (CAST), which is designed to control the unrestricted importation of pill manufacturing equipment.
Agenda
Introduction: Welcome and Overview of New Counterfeit Developments
Rick Roberts (Patient advocate, counterfeit drug victim, and PSM board member) will introduce the recorded remarks from Representative David Kustoff (R-TN 8th District).
PSM board President Dr. Marv Shepherd will provide an overview of the current counterfeit drug crisis. Dr. Shepherd has just published a study entitled New pathways for U.S. importation threaten Canadian prescription drug supply, in the September issue of Canadian Health Policy. (PDF copy here)
Panel 1: Can You Really Implement Canadian Importation?
Dirk Rogers (RX Trace), John Adams (Best Medicines Coalition Canada), and Don Bell (Chief Superintendent {Ret} of the Ontario Provisional Police) will describe Canadian medication law and break down the issues and misinformation surrounding Canadian drug importation proposals. Moderator: Shabbir Safdar
Panel 2: Cartels and Counterfeits: International Organized Crime Bring Counterfeit Drugs to the US
Andrea Thomas (counterfeit drug victim family advocate), Armando Rivera (Americas Product Illegal Trade and NACC Security Lead at Bristol-Myers Squibb, 18 year veteran of the DEA), and Mark Baughman (DEA {ret} and Pinellas County Florida Sheriffs Office {ret}) will discuss the way that cartels are retooling their operations to more efficiently bring counterfeit medication into the United States. Moderator: Charlie Cichon
Closing Remarks
PSM Board President, Dr. Marv Shepherd