Posted At York Daily Record
By: James Yates
As a longstanding member of the Pennsylvania health-care community, I am well versed in the current debate over importing prescription drugs to the U.S. Everyone I’ve spoken to is concerned that importation would endanger Americans by allowing unregulated and potentially tainted medicines into the country.
Drugs from Europe change hands countless times and it is unacceptable to allow these drugs to enter our supply. I care deeply about affordable access to prescription drugs but it is not worth potentially putting lives at risk for the sake of speculative savings. Chemical analysis is the only way to differentiate a genuine product from a counterfeit one, and the FDA is unequipped to monitor every pill that comes to the U.S.
Drug prices are a worry to many Americans but we shouldn’t replace this worry with fear of false labeling, incorrect handling, or worse, medicines lacking any effective ingredient.
Importation should not be decided on a whim as a quick fix to rising drug prices. We are a country that thrives on progress and innovation; surely we can overcome rising drug costs without subjecting ourselves to the dangers of unregulated drug suppliers. Please urge your representatives and senators to vote against any legislation that would legalize mixing these foreign imports with our own, federally approved drug supply system.
