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>Ban drug exports, say regulators >Selling to U.S. makes policing druggists impossible > >Tom Blackwell >National Post > > >Saturday, November 15, 2003 >ADVERTISEMENT > > >The bodies that regulate pharmacies across Canada are >calling on the federal government to ban the >cross-border sale of prescription drugs to the United >States, arguing they cannot police druggists whose >customers are in a different country. > >Some of those customers have already lodged complaints >against Canadian pharmacies, creating difficult >challenges for the regulators, said the National >Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities. > >The body is also concerned about possible shortages of >drugs and pharmacists for the Canadian market as a >result of the cross-border business. > >Coming from a group of apolitical professional >organizations, the association's call for a ban is the >strongest assault yet in Canada against the >burgeoning, but controversial, export industry. > >"There are increasing questions and reports on drug >shortages," said Barbara Wells, executive director of >the umbrella group for provincial and territorial >agencies. > >"It just stands to reason that if we are going to be >supplying the U.S. market, this is just the tip of the >iceberg." > >However, the groups believe the trade might eventually >be viable if a system can be created to permit >international regulation, Ms. Wells added. > >The request that Health Canada shut down the business >at least temporarily was endorsed yesterday by the >U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is strongly >opposed to the importation of prescription drugs. > >A ban is absolutely necessary, Tom McGinnis, the FDA's >director of pharmacy affairs, said in an interview. >"It's illegal." > >Mark McLellan, the agency's commissioner, is scheduled >to visit Health Canada officials in Ottawa on Tuesday >to discuss the issue. > >The pharmacy regulators' statement got a much >different reception from the mail-order pharmacy >business, which has grown within barely a year to sell >as much as $1-billion of medication to the United >States annually. > >The declaration was a "ridiculous and rash, draconian >step," said David Mackay of the Canadian International >Pharmacy Association. > >He noted the regulators in at least one province, >Manitoba, have specifically agreed to oversee the >international business, even drawing up special >standards for it. > >"To suggest all of a sudden that the regulatory >authorities cannot stand by these agreements is an >indictment of themselves," Mr. Mackay said. "It's >saying their own system is incompetent." > >In Manitoba, where the bulk of the mail-order >pharmacies are located, fees from such businesses to >the regulator, the Manitoba Pharmaceutical >Association, total more than $700,000 a year, he said, >allowing them to hire extra staff. Despite repeated >inspections, no transgressions have been uncovered, >Mr. Mackay said. > >But there appears no immediate threat that Health >Canada will take up the national regulatory >association's suggestion. > >"It is premature to consider banning export of >prescription drugs because there is no evidence of >drug shortages related to Internet pharmacy," said >Krista Apse of Health Canada. > >"Our bottom line is to ensure that Canadians continue >to have access to affordable, safe drugs when they >need them." > >Still, the department will continue to monitor the >situation closely, she said. > >The regulatory association's members licence >pharmacists, investigate complaints and mete out >discipline when necessary. The Manitoban regulator has >already received some complaints from the United >States, although no more, proportionately, than it >would normally get from Canadian pharmacy customers, >she said. > >But officials worry about their ability to subpoena >witnesses from the United States, if necessary, or >obtain confidential medical information from south of >the border, which might be needed in an investigation >of alleged wrongdoing, she said. > >tblackwell@nationalpost.com

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