AARP Launches Campaign To Support Legalization of Reimportation of Prescription Drugs
AARP on Monday in Texas launched a campaign in support of the reimportation of lower-cost, U.S.-manufactured prescription drugs from Canada, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports. Officials for AARP, which has 35 million members, said that as part of the campaign, the group plans to lobby the Bush administration, Congress and pharmaceutical companies to legalize reimportation. In addition, AARP plans to purchase television and newspaper advertisements nationwide in support of reimportation. Luis Wilmot, director of AARP Texas, said, "AARP is committed to increasing our efforts to educate, advocate and litigate, if necessary, to help all Americans afford the drugs they need" (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 3/16).
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America earlier this month hired Giuliani Partners, a consulting group founded by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), to study the safety of reimported prescription drugs, the AP/Wall Street Journal reports. Giuliani said that study will examine reimported medications that federal officials have seized, as well as technologies that could help prevent "potentially dangerous drugs from entering the country," the AP/Journal reports. Giuliani Partners likely will take one year to complete the study but could issue a preliminary report in several months, Giuliani said. Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesperson for PhRMA, said, "We think we need a large amount of evidence to shed light on the issue (of reimportation). We think we need more credible data, and we could get it from Giuliani" (AP/Wall Street Journal, 3/16).
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