What Canadians Are Saying About Drug Importation
January 2019 - December 2019
Canadians worried by plan to let Americans import drugs (8/1/2019)
Canadians worried by plan to let Americans import drugs (8/1/2019)“It’s clear to us that whatever measures need to be put in place to prevent, for example, large-scale importation by online pharmacies or large-scale importation by large U.S. states, has to be put in place because Canada is not structured to produce an amount of medications required for a population that size.” – Kimberley Hanson, Diabetes Canada
'Under threat': Why experts say U.S. import of Canadian drugs could put supply at risk (10/26/2019)
'Under threat': Why experts say U.S. import of Canadian drugs could put supply at risk (10/26/2019)“We've never been under threat in this way before. We're only about a 10th of the size, so any kind of raiding of our drug supply is really going to have a major impact…Just the size of the U.S. and what potentially they could do — I think that's very frightening for a lot of Canadians.” – Sandy Buchman, M.D., Canadian Medical Association (CMA)
Canadians Don’t Want Americans to Steal Their Prescription Drugs, Apparently (8/12/2019)
Canadians Don’t Want Americans to Steal Their Prescription Drugs, Apparently (8/12/2019)“Our drug supply chain is already on the fragile side, as evidenced by all the shortages that we have. So it is quite concerning. If we saw a state like California come on board, that could really disrupt things.” – Barry Power, PharmD, Canadian Pharmacists Association
Canadian ambassador says drug imports would not lower U.S. prices (11/1/2019)
Canadian ambassador says drug imports would not lower U.S. prices (11/1/2019)“Not only are we too small of a market, Canada cannot increase its domestic pharmaceutical drug supply to meet U.S. demand.” – Kristen Hillman, Canada’s acting ambassador to the United States
Trudeau pledges ‘steady’ drug supply in Canada amid concerns over Trump policy (8/1/2019)
Trudeau pledges ‘steady’ drug supply in Canada amid concerns over Trump policy (8/1/2019)“We recognize the new situation brought on by American announcements and Health Canada will continue to ensure that our priority is always ensuring that Canadians have access to the medication they need at affordable prices.” –Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau
Trump’s ‘Crazy’ Drug Import Plan Stirs Backlash in Canada (7/31/2019)
Trump’s ‘Crazy’ Drug Import Plan Stirs Backlash in Canada (7/31/2019)“Hospital and community pharmacies in Canada are resourced to serve the Canadian public…They are not equipped to support the needs of a country 10 times its size without creating important access or quality issues.” – Canadian Medical Association
Canadian shelves ‘would run dry’ if U.S. imports drugs (2/21/2019)
Canadian shelves ‘would run dry’ if U.S. imports drugs (2/21/2019)“Even if the legislation did pass for Americans, it’s not going to be as simple as going through Canadian pharmacies…And I assume it’s not inexpensive to get a Canadian physician to see you and sign a prescription.” – Joelle Walker, Canadian Pharmacists Association
Trump’s ‘Crazy’ Drug Import Plan Stirs Backlash in Canada (7/31/2019)
“Furthermore, the price of generic drugs in Canada isn’t any cheaper than in the U.S. because generics don’t fall under the federal pricing system. We have some of the most expensive generic prices in the world.” – John Adams, Best Medicines Coalition
'Under threat': Why experts say U.S. import of Canadian drugs could put supply at risk (10/26/2019)
“Very few of our drugs are actually made in Canada and that includes the drugs that are owned and sold by Canadian companies. They license factories and other countries, and so the idea that there are cheap Canadian drugs that can be bought is a little bit ludicrous from that perspective.” –Jacalyn Duffin, M.D. Ph.D., medical historian and drug shortages expert at Queen’s University
'Under threat': Why experts say U.S. import of Canadian drugs could put supply at risk (10/26/2019)
“There's not a really clear system to notify pharmacists and physicians when something is in short supply. Often a pharmacist will find out about it when they try and order it from their wholesaler…Some of it has potentially very serious consequences, like in the case of cancer medications.” – Barry Power, PharmD, Canadian Pharmacists Association
Political Theater Won’t Fix Drug Price Issues (11/26/2019)
Political Theater Won’t Fix Drug Price Issues (11/26/2019)“If the U.S. government foolishly moves forward with ill-conceived plans to import medicine from Canada, or if several states (including Florida, where I practice) get the greenlight to implement their own importation plans, it will make it much easier for rogue manufacturers in the third world to make fake medicines, apply realistic-looking labels and sell them to Americans.” – Joy Wright, licensed pharmacist in Florida and Ontario, Canada (11/26/2019)