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| July 22, 2004 | |||
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COLEMAN HEARING EXPLORES SAFETY ISSUES AND CONCERNS RELATED TO INTERNET DRUG SALES
PSI Chairman urges federal agencies to bolster enforcement to ensure public access to safe and affordable drugs ordered on the Internet and commends private sector efforts |
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In his second hearing on the dangers of purchasing pharmaceuticals over the Internet, Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), Chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said federal authorities must act to confront and contain the threat to the health and safety of Americans who increasingly order and import pharmaceuticals over the Internet, often without a medical prescription.
“I am concerned by the apparent lack of progress in getting our arms around this glaring problem,” Senator Coleman said. “Those charged with the responsibility to protect American consumers from the illegal importation of controlled substances and counterfeit or unsafe drugs cannot allow themselves to fall victim to rapidly advancing technology.” At his first hearing on June 17, 2004, Senator Coleman released the results of a report in which the General Accounting Office (GAO), at PSI’s request, used the Internet to purchase numerous prescription drugs – including highly-addictive narcotics and other controlled substances. PSI investigators also found that John F. Kennedy Airport alone receives 40,000 drug packages daily, including the date-rape drug GHB (which had been ordered by teenagers), codeine-laced products, morphine, fake Lipitor, injectible steroids from China, boxes of unidentified drug product and counterfeit Viagra. Given the overwhelming volume, FDA and Customs officials testified that vast quantities of prescription drugs and controlled substances that are illegally imported into the U.S. are not screened or regulated in any manner whatsoever. “Simply put, we are drowning in a flood of imported drugs of unknown composition and origin as well as potentially lethal controlled substances,” Coleman said. “Despite yeoman efforts, because of the sheer number of controlled substances being imported, Customs can screen only a fraction of the packages that contain controlled substances.” The findings of the investigation have led Senator Coleman to introduce two bills (S. 2464 and S. 2465) to insure the safety of buying pharmaceuticals online and to increase the resources and authority of federal agencies responsible for the accountability and enforcement of Internet pharmacies foreign and domestic. Coleman’s safety provisions have also been included in the Safe IMPORT Act introduced recently by Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH). “For consumers, buying drugs over the Internet without a legitimate prescription is no safer than taking drugs offered to you by a street corner hustler,” Coleman said. “We have developed multiple strategies for controlling and shutting down the corner street hustler. We must approach Internet drug sales with the same vigor.” Coleman commended several members of the private sector, who testified on their efforts to cut off the flow of unsafe drugs over the Internet and to prevent illicit transactions from rogue on-line pharmacies. “Interestingly, in comparison to the federal government’s response, the response of much of the private sector has been swift and proactive,” Coleman stated. Contact: Tom Steward, 202/224-2995 |
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