(Washington, DC)  -- U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Concord Township) today announced that an elderly constituent from Eastlake had four inhalers seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in December.  LaTourette said he fears the seizure may be part of a crackdown on the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies as the new Medicare drug plan is unveiled.

 Published reports indicate that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, has seized about 13,000 packages containing prescription drugs since November in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco.

 “Customs should have much more important things to worry about than letting a few inhalers for an 80-year-old guy with emphysema cross the border,” LaTourette said.  “The new Medicare prescription drug benefit just began in January and seniors have until May 15 to sign up.  I think it’s appalling that seniors with limited incomes are being penalized now for trying to buy cheaper drugs from Canada.”

 LaTourette said an 80-year-old constituent, Ralph Sladek, just notified him that he had a package containing four Combivent inhalers seized by Customs officials in December.  Sladek, who has emphysema and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, has been ordering the inhalers from Total Care Pharmacy in Canada for about six years because the inhalers are too expensive in the U.S.  Sladek learned his drugs were “interdicted” on December 12, 2005, in a letter from U.S. Customs.

 LaTourette said Sladek was given the option of  “voluntarily abandoning the property to the Government after which it will be destroyed in accordance with (federal law) at the Government’s expense.”  The letter told Sladek he did not have to respond to Customs and that his “prescription drugs will be considered abandoned after 30 days and destroyed.”  The letter did not threaten Sladek with prosecution or indicate where his drugs were seized.

 Sladek’s companion, Sara Kallstrom, 74, told LaTourette that the inhalers are manufactured in Germany and distributed by an American company – Boehringer Ingelheim Corp., located in Ridgefield, CT.   The inhalers cost $84 each at the local K-Mart, but the Canadian pharmacy can secure them from a branch in the UK for just $99 for four inhalers.  Kallstrom told the Congressman the packaging and products are identical whether they are purchased in the U.S., or shipped from Canada or the UK.  She said Sladek will die if he doesn’t have the inhalers and can’t afford to pay U.S. prices.

 Sladek and Kallstrom are both widowed and have been together nearly a decade.  Kallstrom said they cannot marry because she will lose the $1,441 monthly pension she receives.  She said after her mortgage, a second mortgage and insurance she has just $428 a month to live on.

 Kallstrom said Total Care Pharmacy refunded them the $99 they paid for the four seized inhalers, and also reimbursed them for one inhaler they bought at full-price at the local K-Mart.  She told the Congressman that Sladek needs to order new inhalers, and would prefer to buy them at $99 for four, but worries they will be seized.

 LaTourette said it is generally illegal to import drugs from Canada or other countries, but the Food and Drug Administration has historically let Americans order up to a 90-day supply of prescription drugs for personal use.  LaTourette said he has participated in at least five Congressional hearings about reimported drugs and the government has never been able to show that seniors are getting unsafe drugs from Canada.  He supports legislation to make buying drugs in Canada legal.

 “It has been very rare for Customs to seize prescription drugs that American seniors ordered from Canadian pharmacies for personal use, but that apparently has changed and seniors got no warning.  I can’t believe our priority is suddenly keeping safe, cheap prescription drugs from seniors,”  LaTourette said.

 LaTourette said seniors who have had their Canadian drugs vanish or have received a letter from Customs indicating that their prescription drugs were “interdicted” should call his office at 800-447-0529.  Seniors can also fax their letters from Customs to LaTourette’s office at 202-225-3307, and they should include a phone number where they can be reached.

 LaTourette said he wants to gauge how many packages were seized from Northeast Ohio seniors.  He plans to contact Customs and the FDA to inquire why there is a sudden surge in seizures.  He also wants to know the cost of the seized drugs and how much the government is paying to destroy the drugs and notify seniors.