Canadian Pharmacy Board of Newfoundland & Labrador Opposes Potential U.S. Drug Importation Legislation

The Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board (NLPB), which governs and regulates all pharmacies operating in their Canadian province, has written a letter to the U.S. Congress, which bluntly states, “the importation of medicines from Canada is not the solution.”

The NLBP mission is “to protect the people of the province by governing the profession of pharmacy to ensure quality and ethical care.”

NLPB explains in three points that “the proposed legislation does not include sufficient mechanisms to ensure patient safety, nor does it encourage legal, ethical, and transparent practices by Canadian pharmacists.”

• Americans can in no way depend upon Canadian regulators to insure the safety of the medicine sold to them from Canada. NLPB does not regulate the sale of prescription medications outside of Canada. NLPB has no “regulatory system in place…to ensure public and patient safety if such a program was introduced.”
• A Canadian pharmacist cannot legally fulfill a U.S. prescription. “Canadian pharmacists are prohibited by law from filling prescriptions issued by US doctors.”
• The legislation encourages people to violate Canadian law. NLPB strenuously warns, “The proposed legislation…would in essence have the effect of encouraging the lawless sale of prescription medications across borders. This is unacceptable.”

Read the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board Letter here.