Florida Orders Closure of 12 Storefront Pharmacies Facilitating Reimportation; FDA Anti-Reimportation Campaign Goes To Wyoming

The Florida Department of Health has ordered the closure of 12 storefront pharmacies, many of which facilitate the sale of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada to state residents, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The health department ordered the closures because the pharmacies sold prescription drugs without a state license. Health department spokesperson Jackie DiPietre said that owners could face criminal charges if they do not close the pharmacies. "We haven't heard from pharmacy owners, but expect them to comply," she said. The pharmacy owners maintain that the state should allow them to operate because although they help residents purchase prescription drugs from Canada, they do not prescribe or handle the medications (Orlando Sentinel, 6/19).

FDA Campaign in Wyoming
In related news, the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General last week launched a campaign in conjunction with FDA to warn state residents about safety and efficacy concerns related to prescription drugs reimported from Canada and other nations, the AP/Billings Gazette reports (AP/Billings Gazette, 6/18). FDA in February launched the "Looks Can Be Deceiving" campaign in response to state efforts to establish reimportation programs (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/5). The Wyoming campaign, co-sponsored by the Wyoming Pharmacy Association and the Wyoming State Board of Pharmacy, will distribute 140,000 educational fliers and prescription inserts to 140 pharmacies throughout the state. Ken Nelson, state senior assistant attorney general, said a recent investigation by his office found that two medications purchased by a state resident through an online pharmacy were not comparable to the medications ordered. "The public should be aware, just because it's cheaper, it's not worth the risk of their health and safety," he said (AP/Billings Gazette, 6/18).