The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7242 p424
29 March 2003

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US Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov)

US acts against Canadian drug imports

Action to stop patients in the United States obtaining cut-price medicines from Canadian pharmacies is being taken by the US Food and Drug Administration.

US law prohibits the import of non-FDA approved medicines and restricts the reimportation of approved medicines manufactured in the US to the maker.

The FDA has sent a warning letter to an Arkansas pharmacy, which it says is outsourcing dispensing to a Canadian pharmacy. The pharmacy has been given 15 days to legitimise its operation or face prosecution.

Typical medicine prices in the US are 50 per cent higher than in Canada.