Statements Opposing Drug Importation, 2000—
2024
American Pharmacists Association, Pharmacy Organizations Raise Concerns About Florida’s Drug Importation Program, press release, January 17, 2024. Cosigned by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, National Community Pharmacists Association, Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists and state pharmacy and state health-systems pharmacy associations in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. (AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WY)
2022
American Pharmacists Association, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and state pharmacy associations from thirty five states wrote to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee outlining their opposition to foreign drug importation programs, June 5, 2022. (AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI)
2021
Biotechnology Innovation Organization, The Real Costs of Drug Importation and Issue Brief on Drug Importation.
Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Statement on North Dakota 2209, March 9, 2021.
North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association, Statement on North Dakota 2209, March 3, 2021.
Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management, Statement on North Dakota SB2209 and SB2212, January 27, 2021 
Christina Adams, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists , Statement on North Dakota SB2209 / SB2212, January 27 2021.
Community Liver Alliance, Family Voices of North Dakota, North Dakota Nurses Association, and WomenHeart Jamestown, Cautionary Statement about North Dakota Senate Bills 2209 and 2212, January 27, 2021.
PHARMA, Statement on North Dakota SB2212, January 27, 2021
Ariel Delouya, Consul General of Canada, Letter to North Dakota State Senator Howard Anderson, January 26, 2021.
2020
Kathryn Burkell, Acting Head of Mission, Consulate General of Canada, Letter to Director Michael Ceballos, Wyoming Department of Health, August 18, 2020
"Presidential Executive Orders Will Not Lower Drug Costs," Citizens Against Government Waste, July 28, 2020
Best Medicines Coalition, Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, March 16, 2020
Christina Adams, Chief Pharmacy Officer, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, March 16, 2020
Comments Submitted in Opposition to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Proposed Drug Importation Rule (January - March 2020)
American Pharmacists Association's and National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations' Backgrounder Opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Proposed Drug Importation Rule, February 2020
Christine Donaldson, Vice President of Pharmacy, HealthPRO Procurement Services Inc. and Spencer Tuttle, Director, Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services Chair of HealthPRO’s Pharmacy Advisory Council, Letter to the Canadian Minister of Health Patty Hajdu, January 6, 2020
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Statement on Wholesale Drug Importation, January 2020
Key Statements
"Canada opposes the proposed rule as it is not an effective approach to reduce drug prices in the U.S. and could exacerbate drug shortages in Canada, putting the health of Canadians at risk."
"Canada will employ all necessary measures to protect its drug supply." – The Government of Canada, March 2020.
"NSA has serious concerns about any drug importation proposals — legislative, administrative, or regulatory — that could jeopardize local law enforcement’s ability to protect the public health and safety of our citizenry. " – National Sheriff's Association, March 6, 2020.
"APhA is concerned the Proposed Rule will seriously jeopardize patient safety. In addition, the Proposed Rule undermines the ongoing implementation of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act...It also creates significant workflow challenges that will disrupt patient care...onerous program operational and systematic measures will add to drug costs and not result in significant cost savings to consumers." – The American Pharmacists Association, March 9, 2020.
"We respectfully submit that the NPRM should be withdrawn for the following reasons:
1. It fails with respect to the Canadian drug supply.
2. It fails because it creates new public health and safety risks to Americans, both online and offline.
3. It fails to save American consumers money." – Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, March 2, 2020.
"We believe that such importation represents a complex and risky approach—one that the evidence shows will not achieve the aim, and that is likely to harm patients and consumers and compromise the carefully constructed system that guards the safety of our nation’s medical products." – Former FDA Commissioners Califf, Hamburg, McClellan and Von Eschenbach Letter to Congress, March 16, 2017.
Why Not Import medicine from online Canadian pharmacies?
2019
National Consumers League, Press Release Urging Caution Following HHS Importation Announcement, December 20, 2019
American Pharmacists Association, APhA Alarmed by HHS-FDA Drug Importation Plans, December 18, 2019
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Statement on Proposed Drug Importation Plan, December 18, 2019
Representative Donna Shalala, Statement on President Trump’s Proposal to Allow States to Import Drugs from Canada, December 18, 2019
Acting Canadian Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman, Statement on U.S. Importation of Pharmaceutical Drugs from Canada, December 18, 2019
Western States Sheriffs Association, Resolution 2019-08 Opposing Drug Importation Legislation, October 28, 2019
National Consumers League, Statement on White House Pathway for Drug Importation, August 2, 2019
National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, Statement in Response to Proposed Changes to Prescription Medication Importation Policies, August 1, 2019
California Life Sciences Association, Response to Administration’s Drug Importation Plan, July 31, 2019
Canadian Pharmacists Association, Statement About U.S. Drug Importation, July 31, 2019
Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association, Statement on the Trump Administration's Exploration of Biopharmaceutical Importation, July 31, 2019
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies Canada, Best Medicines Coalition, Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Diabetes Canada, HealthcareCAN, Health Charities Coalition of Canada, McKesson Canada, Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, OnPharm-United, and Shoppers Drug Mart/Loblaw Companies Limited, Letter to Canada's Minister of Health, The Honorable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, July 25, 2019.
Badger State Sheriffs' Association, Wisconsin State Sheriffs Association, Letters to Representatives Greg Walden and Frank Pallone, July 1, 2019.
American Pharmacists Association, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, Letter to Alex M. Azar, II, Secretary of Health and Human Services, June 24, 2019
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Statement to the President, May 9, 2019 and Letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, April 24, 2019
New Mexico State Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Members of Congress, April 22, 2019
Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, Letter to United States Senate, April 9, 2019
Major County Sheriffs of America, Letter to Representatives Frank Pallone and Greg Walden of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, April 4, 2019
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies Global, Letters to the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, March 29, 2019 and accompanying graphic, February 2019
Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center, American Senior Alliance, Epilepsy Association of the Big Bend, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, Florida Society of Clinical Oncology, Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Oncology Managers of Florida, Partnership for Safe Medicines, Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency, Salud USA, Sickle Cell Foundation, and The Epilepsy Association, Letter to Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, March 26, 2019
Lisa McElhaney, President, National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, Statement to Members of the Health & Human Services Committee, Florida House of Representatives, March 11, 2019
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Letter to Members of the Health & Human Services Committee, Florida House of Representatives, March 11, 2019
Joint Statement of the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), February 2019
Freeh, Sporkin, and Sullivan LLC and the Freeh Group International, Addendum to the Report on the Potential Impact of Drug Importation Proposals on U.S. Law Enforcement, January 2019
Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Testimony, Oregon Senate Committee on Healthcare, January 30, 2019
Oregon Pharmacy Coalition, Statement to the Oregon State Legislature, January 30, 2019
National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Letter to Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson, Chair, Oregon Senate Health Care Committee, January 28, 2019
Oregon Bioscience Association and Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Letter to Oregon State Senators Laurie Monnes Anderson and Dennis Linthicum, January 25, 2019
Northwest Association for BioMedical Research, Letter to Oregon State Senators Laurie Monnes Anderson and Dennis Linthicum, January 25, 2019
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies Canada, ASOP Canada Concerned by Impact of New U.S. Drug Importation Proposals on Canadian Drug Supply and Shortages, January 25, 2019
National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the American Pharmacists Association, Patient Safety Key as NACDS and APhA Oppose Prescription Drug Importation, January 18, 2019
2018
Nevada Sheriffs' & Chiefs' Association, Resolution Opposing Legislation on Drug Importation, November 8, 2018
Partnership for Safe Medicines, Letter to Congress and President Trump, October 30, 2018
National Sheriffs’ Association, Letter to President Trump, August 8, 2018
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Statement Regarding the Announcement of a Drug Importation Working Group at FDA, July 19, 2018
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, Remarks on Drug Pricing Blueprint, May 14, 2018
Association for Accessible Medicines, Testimony Opposing Vermont S. 175, February 5, 2018
Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Testimony Opposing Vermont S. 175, January 30, 2018
2017
International Association of Chiefs of Police, Resolution NDDC.013.T2017, December 2017
Alaska Pharmacists Association Executive Director Molly Gray to Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Nov. 8, 2017. [Consult PSM for a copy of the PDF]
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Letter to Senate Leadership, October 18, 2017
Nevada Sheriffs' and Chiefs' Association, Letter from President Troy Tanner to Senator Dean Heller, September 21, 2017
National Sheriffs’ Association, Resolution 2017-00, July 28, 2017
National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (Canada), Letter to U.S. Congress, June 26, 2017
California State Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, June 19, 2017
Freeh, Sporkin, and Sullivan LLC and the Freeh Group International, Report on the Potential Impact of Drug Importation Proposals on U.S. Law Enforcement, June 6, 2017
American Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Letter to President Trump, June 5, 2017
Partnership for Safe Medicines, Letter from the Board to the U.S. Senate, May 9, 2017
Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, April 25, 2017
Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board, Letter to Congress, April 21, 2017
College of Pharmacists of Manitoba, Letter to Congress, April 10, 2017
American Pharmacists Association, Letter to Congress, March 22, 2017
Kentucky Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, March 17, 2017
Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, March 17, 2017
Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, March 17, 2017
Former FDA Commissioners, Drs. Robert Califf, Margaret B. Hamburg, Mark B. McClellan, and Andrew Von Eschenbach, Letter to Congress, March 16, 2017
Virginia Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, March 10, 2017
West Virginia Board of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, March 7, 2017
Pew Charitable Trusts, Letter from Allan Coukell to Senator Bernie Sanders, February 28, 2017
Partnership for Safe Medicines and 170 signatories, Letter to Congress, February 28, 2017
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Letter to Congress, February 10, 2017
2009-
2016
Best Medicines Coalition, Statement, March 2016
Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Statement, March 2016
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, Nomination Hearing, November 17, 2015
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Illegal Importation of Prescription Drugs (Resolution 110-1-14) , May 30, 2014
Maine Attorney General William J. Schneider, declaring Maine's drug importation program in violation of Maine law, June 21, 2012
Partnership for Safe Medicines and 33 co-signers, Letter to the U.S. Senate, May 21, 2012
Partnership for Safe Medicines, Letter to Senator David Vitter, October 19, 2011 and Letter to President Obama, April 8, 2009
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Nomination Hearing, April 2, 2009
2008- 2005
Randall W. Lutter, Acting Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning, FDA, Letters to: Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, August 14, 2008, Duluth Minnesota Mayor Don Ness, February 6, 2008, Steven M. Saxe, Director, Washington State Board of Pharmacy, March 17, 2006, Montgomery County, MD Executive Douglas Duncan, November 8, 2005; Oregon Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski, October 15, 2005; Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, July 27, 2005, and Texas Governor Rick Perry, June 17, 2005
Healthcare Institute of New Jersey, Editorial, October 15, 2007
Canadian Pharmacists Association, Ontario Pharmacists’ Association, Best Medicines Coalition, and Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management, Letter to Tony Clement, the Canadian Minister of Health, January 12, 2007
William K. Hubbard, Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning, FDA, Letters to Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn, May 20, 2005 and Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, January 28, 2005
FDA Commissioner Lester M. Crawford, Nomination Hearing, March 17, 2005
2000- 2004
William K. Hubbard, Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning, FDA, Letters to The Honorable Anthony Williams (Washington, DC), August 20, 2004; The Honorable Thomas M. Menino (Boston, MA), August 4, 2004; Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, July 22, 2004; Rick Potter of the New Hampshire Pharmacists Association, April 20, 2004; Caldwell County, North Carolina Manager Bobby White, April 4, 2004; Governor Craig Benson of New Hampshire, March 31, 2004; Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, February 23, 2004 and May 24, 2004; and Illinois Special Advocates Ram Kamath and Scott McKibbon, November 6, 2003.
Lester Crawford, Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, FDA, Letter to Governor Rod Blagojevich, June 3, 2004
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Illegal Importation – Federal and State Enforcement of Reimportation Laws (Resolution No. 100-1-04), April 28, 2004 and Prosecution of Entities Aiding and Abetting in the Illegal Importation of Prescription Medications ( Resolution No. 100-17-04), April 28, 2004
FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan, Letter to Senator Thad Cochran, June 19, 2003
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Reimportation of Medications (Resolution No. 99-5-03), May 8, 2003 and Position Paper on the Importation of Foreign Prescription Drugs, March 1, 2003
Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Letter to Senator James Jeffords, July 9, 2001
Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health of Human Services, Letter to President Clinton, December 26, 2000