HHS comments come in overwhelmingly against Canadian drug importation proposal

Yesterday ended a 78-day comment period for the White House’s proposal to import medicine from Canada. In all, over 1,000 comments were filed. Overwhelmingly, these comments opposed the proposed rule or expressed skepticism that the rule could meet the two requirements listed in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003: be safe and save consumers money. In fact, when you read the comments, it is clear that this policy is overwhelming opposed by experts on the issues of economics and medicine safety.

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Canadian Importation Does Not Work

graph comparing the population of Canada to the US

The number of U.S. residents in states that are considering importing drugs from Canada is almost four times Canada’s own population. Canadian drug importation is not the structural solution we need.

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Resources for organizers fighting dangerous Canadian drug importation

Resources for organizers on the HHS Canadian drug importation comment period Ways you can help spread the word Submit your own comments or tell people to go to http://safedr.ug/takeaction to submit their own. Email your community and ask them to comment. Follow us on Facebook and share our calls-to-action with your community. Resources Read PSM’s…

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PSM files comments on HHS’s proposed Canadian drug importation rules; cites danger to patients

A bottle of poison pills casts a shadow over a map of the U.S.

Today The Partnership for Safe Medicines filed comments with Health and Human Services about the dangers posed by its draft regulations for state-based Canadian drug importation programs. PSM cited historic problems with and patient harm from Canadian vendors selling counterfeit medications to U.S. patients and medical practices; showed broad opposition to the plan by Canadian stakeholders; and provides alternatives that don’t impact patient safety.

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Security Breach Illustrates Another Danger of Fake Online Pharmacies

Planet Drugs Direct, an online pharmacy based in Winnipeg, Canada, has announced a data breach. Hackers broke into their servers, exposing customers’ names, medical details, and contact and banking information. Legitscript is unequivocal in calling Planet Drugs Direct a “Rogue Internet Pharmacy,” their worst rating for online pharmacies, accusing them of violating state and federal laws.

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Infographic: Counterfeiting By The Numbers

Our infographic, “Counterfeiting by the Numbers,” highlights facts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s January 2020 report, Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods, which documents the extraordinary scale of the global counterfeiting market and its effects across all economic sectors—including medicines.

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PSM Statement on the passage of S.3201, which extends the DEA’s temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I for 15 months.

The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) stands with our law enforcement partners in commending the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives for their swift passage of S.3201, which would extend the DEA’s temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances to be Schedule I controlled substances for an additional 15 months. Without this reauthorization, criminals could…

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