Drugs From Canada? Not Necessarily (NAPSA)—In an effort to fight the rising costs of prescription drugs, many Americans have sought to import medications from north of the border. However, many of the drugs that are believed to be from Canada may actually have been manufactured elsewhere, in countries where safety protocols are weaker or nonexistent, leading to potential health risks for consumers. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) recently launched an advertising campaign to broaden the reach of the industry’s efforts to educate consumers, especially America’s seniors, about the safety risks of importing drugs from foreign countries and to inform them of safe, legal ways people in need can get medicines for free or nearly free. “When politicians talk about importing drugs from Canada, they nevertell you that the drugs, in reality, could be coming from countries without strong safety regulations like Pakistan, Thailand, South Africa, Latvia and Estonia,” said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of PhRMA. “There is a growing bodyof evidence that importation schemes threaten public health, and Americans need to understand the dangers associated with importation and learn about alternatives to taking these unnecessaryrisks.” At www.buysafedrugs.info, a Web site created by PhRMA,consumers can find the latest news on the importation debate, consumer tools to help them understand their rights when buying @ Imported prescription drugs may not come from the country you think they do. prescription drugs and guidelines for identifying potential counterfeit medicines. The site also details safe, legal alternatives to importation, point- ing visitors to various assistance programs and the pharmaceutical industry’s recently formed Partnership for Prescription Assistance (www.pparx.org or 1-888- 4PPANOW), which matches those in need to programs that provide medicines for free or at reduced costs. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. To learn more, visit www.phrma.org. For additional information about the risks associated with importing prescription drugs, visit the Web site at www.buysafedrugs.info.
