A call for a common sense approach to personal importation of prescription medicines and access to safety, savings, and improved health

The publisher of a leading informational website on aging issues says that personal importation by Americans of safe, affordable brand-name prescription medicines from Tier One countries remains a primary option to reduce the cost of medicines in the U.S.

Tier One countries are those defined as having standards of safety, efficacy and quality, of prescription medicines and pharmacies and oversight that meets or exceeds those of the U.S.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) has recently launched a series of initiatives that call for greater cooperation with regulatory agencies in other countries regarding importation of ingredients into the U.S. for pharmaceutical manufacture,” says Daniel Hines, Publisher of www.TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com and a series of related websites on aging and health issues.

“This indicates the FDA is both willing , and has the power to act to enact such agreements."

He also points to the role of personal importation in reducing the crushing burden of prescription medicine costs in the U.S.

“In a recent interview with Kaiser Health Report, former Senator John Danforth (R-MO) cited the cost of health care as the major problem facing the newly formed ‘Super Committee’ of Representatives and Senators as they must consider recommendations to address the country’s fiscal crisis,” he says.

“The pricing practices of Pharma have been major drivers of the governmental and personal fiscal crises facing the country by spurring the cost of healthcare by raising prescription medicine prices at a rate exceeding inflation and have likely led to bogus internet sources springing up as Americans seek relief from excessive prices ,” Hines says.

“That’s why personal importation of safe, affordable brand-name prescription medicines has passed the U.S. Congress under two administrations over the past 10 years, but the bills which would have established additional safety procedures were made inoperable by the extensive lobbying of Pharma that imposed ‘poison pill’ amendments.

“Deterring the activities of bogus sourcing of prescription medicines and to protect the safety of Americans is commendable and is reflected in the operating credo of those services that have created and adhere to standards of safety, efficacy and quality.

“Americans should not confuse the ability for safe implementation of personal importation that might exist in light of the recent Google settlement regarding internet pharmacy advertising.

”We call on the FDA to extend its new approach towards possible reciprocity and cooperative agreements with agencies, especially those in Tier One Countries, as a means to lower prescription medicine prices in the U.S., thereby contributing to the already proven record of safety, efficacy and quality from medicines being personally imported into the U.S.”