On January 8, 2015, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) reintroduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, a measure that would allow Americans to import prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies based in Canada. The bill aims to drive down drug prices. Yet, importing Canadian medications exposes American patients to dangerous counterfeits and hampers the development of new, lifesaving medicines. A recent study found that 97% of online pharmacies, including Canadian pharmacies, do not comply with U.S. laws and regulations. Some contain harmful substances, such as paint, lead, and rat poison, and although the bill stipulates that Canadian pharmacies cannot resell medications imported from other countries, it is often hard to determine the origin of such medications. Federal regulators cannot guarantee where or how drugs sold abroad were made, exponentially increasing the risk to American patients’ health. To learn more, go here.
Last Updated on April 20, 2020 by Aimed Alliance
