ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wisconsin’s governor urged the federal government yesterday to make it legal for Americans to fill their drug prescriptions in Canada.
But victims of counterfeit drugs warned of dire consequences if that was to happen.
They were among dozens of people who testified at the third meeting of a federal task force that is considering whether drugs can be imported safely from Canada.
“People are going to Canada whether we like it or not,” Wisconsin Gov. James E. Doyle, a Democrat, said. “They are going in bigger and bigger numbers. The simple dollars demand it.”
Wisconsin maintains a Web site that helps residents buy cheaper drugs from Canadian pharmacies. Rhode Island has linked its state-run prescription-drug site to Wisconsin’s, and Washington, D.C., has asked about doing the same.
The Food and Drug Administration has criticized Mr. Doyle for putting up the Web site, saying it cannot guarantee the safety of imported drugs.
“I think that falls in the category of snake-oil sales,” FDA Associate Commissioner Peter J. Pitts said.
Mr. Doyle countered: “I don’t think people getting prescription drugs from Canada consider it snake oil.”
Mr. Doyle said a 100-dose supply of the pain medication Celebrex can be purchased for $72 through the Web site, compared with the $171 the state spends to buy the same quantity.
Opponents of legalizing drug imports said it would lead to a huge increase in counterfeit drugs in this country.
Rick Roberts of San Francisco learned he was using a counterfeit anti-AIDS drug when he became aware of a stinging sensation at the injection site. He said he worried that if counterfeit drugs were to come into the United States from abroad, no one could be held responsible.
“The longer the distribution chain, the more doors that are opened for bad guys to do what they want to do — make money at the expense of sick people,” Mr. Roberts said.
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