For Immediate Release
December 8, 2004

33 MILLION AMERICANS IN 5 STATES NOW URGED

TO BUY CANADIAN DRUGS

Potential American Demand now Exceeds the Population of Canada

Toronto, December 8, 2004 – Cross-border drug trading has reached a new milestone. Americans in five states whose combined population is greater than that of Canada are now being urged by their state governments to buy all their medicines through Canadian internet pharmacies.

Last week, Kansas became the fifth U.S. state to launch an official program encouraging all citizens to purchase their prescription medicines through Canadian internet pharmacies. The five states, which also include Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington and Missouri, have a combined population of 33 million – one million more than the population of Canada.

“As we have been saying for more than a year, Canada simply can’t supply the US need for prescription drugs,” said Louise Binder, Chair of the Canadian Treatment Action Council and member of the Best Medicines Coalition. “We are pleased by the steps now being taken by Minister Dosanjh and some of the provincial regulatory bodies and we encourage them to stay the course to end the unethical practices that are allowing internet pharmacies to continue.”

Drug prices in Canada are controlled by the federal government which provides Canadians with lower prices for prescription drug. American prices are set by the free market.

Lothar Dueck, a community pharmacist in Vita, Manitoba and President of the Coalition for Manitoba Pharmacy, praised comments made over the week-end regarding internet pharmacy by the Canadian Minister of Health. “The Minister called cross-border drug trading practices unethical and unprofessional, and he’s absolutely right,” said Dueck. “I’m happy to see him supporting the provincial medical and pharmacy regulators’ efforts to stop unethical behaviour. But this is a national problem and it calls for a national solution. I’d like to see the federal government support the Minister of Health and take immediate, nationwide action to end this once and for all.”

Provincial Regulators Cracking Down

In a letter sent to members last month, the Manitoba pharmacy regulator informed internet pharmacies in that province that they must end the practice of “co-signing”, whereby Canadian-licensed doctors are paid up to $10 simply to add their signature to a prescription coming from the U.S. The Canadian doctors never see or examine the U.S. patients, a practice condemned as unethical care, by provincial medical regulators.

Because internet pharmacies rely completely on “co-signing”, cross-border traders are now threatening to leave Manitoba, in search of provinces with less stringent standards.

The Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and elsewhere have censured and fined doctors engaging in the practice of “co-signing”. Some of these doctors have made hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, through this practice, which the Coalition for Manitoba Pharmacy views as “selling signatures for cash”.