CHICAGO, IL—Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), surrounded by Chicago seniors   Elizabeth Reece, Suzie Molena and others today responded to false ads currently running in Chicago promoting misinformation on the issue of importation of prescription drugs.  Emanuel has been on the front lines fighting for importation legislation currently pending in Congress that would allow Americans to get prescription drugs at the same prices as in Canada or Europe.  The press conference was held at the Thompson Center in Chicago.

“We are here today to dispel the untruths and lies that are clogging Chicago’s airwaves about the importation of prescription drugs,” Emanuel said.  “We all know that seniors can’t afford their prescription drugs.  We all know that the pharmaceutical companies haven’t done enough to help them.  And if you’ve been listening to the Chicago airwaves over the last few days, you’ll know that the big drug companies have resorted to scare tactics and negative ads against one solution to the prescription drug problem: importation.”

Emanuel continued, “Importation is really just opening up the free market to FDA-approved prescription drugs from countries where consumers pay 30 to 50 percent less than they do here.”

Emanuel then used examples of prescription drugs obtained in Germany to show the price disparity after importation.  “Glucophage, for people who have diabetes, can be purchased for $5.00 in Munich, Germany.  The exact same drug – same dosage, same number of tablets, costs $29.95 when it’s purchased in the United States.”

“And this package of Coumadin, a blood thinner, cost $21.00 in Germany,” Emanuel said.  “The same drug costs $89.95 in the United States.  When Americans are being overcharged like this, the most vulnerable people suffer.  We are using these individuals as profit guinea pigs for pharmaceutical companies.”

The radio ads currently airing in Chicago on various radio stations are in response to the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act, H.R. 2427, importation legislation sponsored by Emanuel and U.S. Representative Gil Gutknecht (R-MN).  The House is expected to vote on the legislation this week.  The bill would allow importation from industrialized countries, and establish extensive safety precautions to ensure imported prescription drugs are safe.

Importation provisions were included in the Medicare prescription drug bills passed by the House and the Senate in late June.  However, these provisions are intentionally worded to make sure importation doesn’t happen. 

Following is the sample “scare tactics” ad script running in Chicago, as well as across the country, and paid for by The Seniors Coalition, a front group for pharmaceutical companies.
“The following is an important message for America’s patients paid for by The Seniors Coalition, on behalf of The Partnership for Safe Medicines.  Today when you go to the drugstore and fill a prescription, you never think twice about whether that medicine is real or fake, safe or dangerous, because the FDA Gold Standard has been protecting Americans for decades.  Shockingly, Congress is set to vote on changes to that safe system.  This legislation would allow drugs to be imported from all over the world.  The Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA have fought against these ideas for years.  The FDA has warned that this change would open America’s borders to a stream of imported prescription drugs for which the FDA cannot assure safety, effectiveness, or quality.  It’s one thing for a politician to risk their own life with unsafe medicines; it’s another for them to risk yours.  Contact Congressman X at X.  Tell him to vote no on drug importation.  For more information go to www.safemedicines.org.”

“These ads say that the drugs from other countries would not go through the same FDA approval process as drugs that are purchased here,” Emanuel said.  “This is a blatant lie.  In fact, the only drugs that could come into this country under this legislation would be FDA approved drugs produced in FDA approved facilities.  Going one step farther, my bill has strict safety precautions that require the drug companies to use counterfeit resistant technology on drugs that come in to the U.S.”

According to recent trade reports, right now large numbers of the medications on the shelves in American drug stores were produced in FDA facilities in other countries.  In fact, in 2001, drug companies imported $14.7 billion of prescription drugs into the United States.  These drugs come from the same facilities where American pharmacies and American consumers could buy drugs for much lower prices if the importation bill were passed.

Emanuel responded to the negative ads and misleading scare tactics with a counter ad, aimed at getting out the message that prescription drug costs are punishing America’s senior citizens and taxpayers, and that drug companies are not doing enough to help them.

Response Radio Script from Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL-5):

“Prescription drug costs are punishing our senior citizens and taxpayers.  But for years, the big drug companies have had their way in Washington, spending millions on lobbyists and campaign money, aimed at anyone who gets in their way.  This is Congressman Rahm Emanuel, and I say it’s time to stand up to these tactics, and do what’s right.  I’ve introduced a law that would allow Americans to order FDA-approved prescription drugs from pharmacies in Canada and Europe, where consumers pay thirty to fifty percent less than they do here.  This would force the big drug companies to offer American seniors and taxpayers better prices.  Now, the drug companies have responded with negative ads and misleading scare tactics, aimed at my colleagues who support this reform.  I approved this message because I want you to know that these negative attacks won’t stop us from fighting to end the price gouging in prescription drugs.  They can run their ads.  We’re going to keep fighting to put seniors and taxpayers first.”

Seniors who experience first-hand the consequences of living in America with escalating drug costs and no way to pay for their medications also spoke at today’s press conference.