Posts Tagged ‘Bryan A. Liang’
Microsoft’s Bing.com Sponsors Illegal Online Pharmacies
The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) strongly believes that that no one should be able to purchase prescription drugs, including controlled substances, over the Internet without a valid prescription and physician oversight. Last year we sent every member of Congress a postcard that illustrated this face and earlier this year, my colleague Dr. Bryan Liang published a paper in the American Journal of Law & Medicine that highlights how Internet search engines support illegal online drug sales and identified three key ways we can stop “online pharmacies” from peddling their dangerous wares in cyberspace.
[...]Tougher Penalties for Counterfeiters Under Consideration
On June 4, Rep. Steve J. Israel (D-NY) introduced the Counterfeit Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2726). This proposed legislation, which would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, increases penalties for the sale of contraband or counterfeit drugs. If passed, this legislation brings to life many of the ideas that the Partnership for Safe Medicines advocates in the Principles for Drug Safety.
[...]Congress on the Right Road to Stop Drug Counterfeiters
Earlier this year, Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI 15), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ 06) and Bart Stupak (D-MI 01) introduced the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009 (H.R.759). This legislation indicates that Congress is fbeginning an important journey to address several real threats that substandard and counterfeit drugs pose to the pharmaceutical supply chain.
[...]To Import or Not To Import
That is the question that many of our lawmakers are asking. Senators Dorgan (D-ND), Snowe (R-ME), McCain (R-AZ) and Stabenow (D-MI) brought that question to the forefront when they introduced the “Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009” (S. 525) in March. Currently waiting to be placed on the Senate calendar, the bill would allow for prescription drug importation.
[...]Letter to President Barack Obama
April 8, 2009 President Barack Obama1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, On behalf of the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM), a group of organizations and individuals that have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or contraband medicines and dedicated to the safety of the drug supply, I would like…
[...]Education…The Prescription for Purchasing Medications
The cost of counterfeiting is much more than money. In too many cases, counterfeiting costs human health and in some cases lives. For example, a group of clinics in Sierra Leone were closed last week for allegedly administering counterfeit drugs. Other cases involving online drug sellers have claimed the health and lives of patients who bought from illicit Web sites.
[...]Drug Importation: Small Savings at a Large Cost
Supporters of drug importation like to cite the statistic that if the United States were to permit drug importation, it would reduce total drug spending by $40 billion over 10 years. This figure is from the 2004 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issue brief on drug importation.
[...]Limiting Illegal Online Pharmacies Through International Cooperation
A recent U.S. study revealed that of 365 online pharmacies, only two were legitimate. So how can we realistically address this problem?
[...]The Last Line of Defense Against Counterfeit Drugs
Recently, there has been talk in our nation’s Capitol about overhauling the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) presence both in the United States and abroad. This is an important step in improving the safety of prescription medications from the global public health threat of counterfeit drugs and the untold harm they cause unsuspecting consumers. But, with limited budget and resources, will the FDA be able to pull off the task?
[...]Counterfeit Drug Sellers – Small Penalties for Big-Time Offenses
The sale of counterfeit prescription drugs is neither harmless nor insignificant. Today, the illicit sale of counterfeit prescription drugs is outpacing the sale of street drugs as many dealers are finding it to be “more profitable” and “less risky.” Counterfeit prescription drugs and street drugs both endanger lives, yet, counterfeit drug sellers face significantly less penalties while making much more money (as much as 2,000 times the profit of crack or heroin). This is a tremendous public health concern around the world and on our domestic front.
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