Wisconsin Governor To Consider Program To Purchase Prescription Drugs From Canada
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) on Wednesday announced plans to meet with officials from at least one Canadian pharmacy next week to discuss a program to reimport lower-cost U.S.-manufactured prescription drugs from Canada for state health insurance programs, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (Gores, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/30). "There's an enormous incentive for the taxpayers of Wisconsin to find cheap ways to buy prescription drugs and also hopefully to help citizens themselves buy prescription drugs at a much lower cost," Doyle said (Ross, AP/Long Island Newsday, 10/29). He said that a reimportation program could save the state tens of millions of dollars. The governor added that based on a review of a Web site that sells prescription drugs from Canada, the state could purchase several medications commonly prescribed to prison inmates at a 17% to 49% discount. According to Doyle, the state will spend $115 million this year and $128 million in 2004 on prescription drugs for state employees; $600 million this year on medications for enrollees in Medicaid, BagerCare, SeniorCare and other programs; and $12 this year on prescription drugs for prison inmates. Dan Leistikow, a spokesperson for Doyle, said that the governor and members of his administration plan to meet with officials at CanadaDrugs.com and may meet with officials at other Canadian pharmacies early next week (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/30). However, Tom McGinnis, director of pharmacy affairs for the FDA, said that "people have the misperception the drugs they buy from Canada were produced in the states and are simply available there at cheaper costs," the AP/Newsday reports. He said that "there are different standards" for prescription drugs manufactured and sold in Canada and that individuals who purchase medications from Canada could receive treatments manufactured in Europe or other places that "can vary greatly" from U.S. versions, the AP/Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 10/29).
Michigan To Study Reimportation
In related news, Michigan officials said that they will study a new report commissioned by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) that found Illinois could save as much as $91 million through the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada for state employees, retirees and their dependents, as well as Medicaid beneficiaries, the Detroit News reports (Egan, Detroit News, 10/30). The 85-page report, commissioned by Blagojevich last month, found that the state could save as much as $56.5 million per year on prescription drugs for state employees and retirees through reimportation; Illinois spends $340 million per year on prescription drugs. In addition, the report found that state employees and retirees could save as much as $34.2 million per year through reimportation. The report also said that prescription drugs reimported from Canada are safe and effective. According to the report, prescription drugs sold in Canadian pharmacies are approved by a Canadian regulatory system that uses standards "substantially equivalent" to those in the United States (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/28). "We're going to get a copy of that report from Illinois (and) review it for possible application to Michigan. We'll pass along recommendations to the governor," T.J. Bucholz, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said. Last month, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) directed the state community health department to report to her the results of reimportation studies in Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. Michigan spends more that $1 billion per year on prescription drugs, and the state has an $890 million budget deficit (Detroit News, 10/30).
New York City Mayor Signs Blagojevich Petition
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) on Wednesday signed a petition circulated by Blagojevich that calls for the FDA to allow cities and states to reimport prescription drugs from Canada, the New York Times reports. Bloomberg signed the petition at a news conference at City Hall with Blagojevich. Bloomberg said that reimportation could save the city $108 million per year in Medicaid costs (New York Times, 10/30). The petition is available online.
Additional Coverage
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New York Times: The New York Times examines the difference in messages from pharmaceutical companies in comments to lawmakers and investors on the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada. Pharmaceutical companies tell lawmakers that reimportation would endanger U.S. patients and "sap profits that pay for research" but tell investors that the issue of importation, "at least for now, is well in hand." According to the Times, pharmaceutical companies will remain "upbeat" about the issue of reimportation from Canada because they can "keep cross-boarder traffic under control" with limits on sales to Canadian pharmacies and wholesalers. However, pharmaceutical companies maintain that legislation under consideration in Congress that would allow reimportation from European nations represents a "threat to both profits and drug safety would be significant," the Times reports (Harris, New York Times, 10/30).
- New York Times: The New York Times on Thursday examined the increased number of Canadian online pharmacies in the Manitoba province and their effect on the Canadian prescription drug supply. The Manitoba government supports the 62 online pharmacies that operate in the province, but some opponents maintain that the increased number of online pharmacies have led to a shortage of pharmacists in the Manitoba health care system. "Health Canada regards this as a very serious matter due to the inherent risk to Canadians' health," according to a senior Health Canada official (Simon, New York Times, 10/30).
