By Tom Easter
April 12, 2004

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on March 18 called for the formation of a task force to explore how drug importation might be conducted safely. He also wants to know its potential impact on the health of American patients, medical costs, and the development of new medicines. Surgeon General Richard Carmona is chairman of the 13-member panel.

The panel's activities include six "listening sessions" to receive information and comments from the public and healthcare professionals on issues related to the importation of prescription drugs. Of these "listening sessions", five will be with groups and individuals who would be affected by drug importation and one will be a public hearing to allow members of the general public to present their views on the issue.

More than 1 Million Americans are buying drugs illegally from Canada because of the reduced costs. At least half of U.S. states are currently considering Canadian purchases as they try to cut drug costs for their constituents.

The task force's members ultimately will offer recommendations to Secretary Thompson on how best to address key questions posed by Congress as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. The legislation directed HHS to complete a study by December 2004 to address the issues related to drug importation.

Meanwhile in Congress, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (IA) said he is crafting legislation with Senator Edward Kennedy (MA) to allow Americans to legally buy medicines from Canada and the House of Representatives in July approved a similar bill allowing imports from Canada and other countries including Japan and South Africa. Once a bill in approved in the Senate, the House and Senate bills will have to be reconciled in conference before sending the legislation to the President for his signature.

In other actions on the issue, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) launched a campaign March 15, to make cheaper Canadian drugs available to Americans. It will pressure the drug industry, Congress and the Bush administration to legalize the imports.

The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. pharmaceuticals industry oppose the practice of importing drugs, saying they cannot guarantee the safety of imported drugs. The FDA has also publicly warned Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty that his decision to establish a Web site offering prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies is "unsafe, unsound and ill-considered."

Several drug companies are considering restricting or limiting their imports to Canada. Specifically, Pfizer has already reduced the number of drugs it sells to so some Canadian Pharmaceutical exporters and Eli Lilly has sent a letter to the exporters warning that they will take action against them if they continue to send drugs to the USA.

In addition to Carmona, task force members are: Jayson P. Ahern, assistant commissioner in the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, Alex M. Azar II, HHS general counsel, Josefina Carbonell, HHS assistant secretary for aging, Lester M. Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., FDA deputy commissioner, Elizabeth M. Duke, Ph.D., administrator of HHS- Health Resources Services Administration, Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., incoming administrator for HHS- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mike O-Grady, HHS- assistant secretary for planning and evaluation, William Raub, HHS- deputy assistant secretary for public health emergency preparedness, Tom Reilly, public health branch chief at the White House Office of Management and Budget, Amit K. Sachdev, acting FDA deputy commissioner for policy, Elizabeth A. Willis, chief of the Drug Operations Section, Office of Diversion Control, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Colette Winston, a trial attorney at the Department of Justice.

ction, Office of Diversion Control, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Colette Winston, a trial attorney at the Department of Justice.