A coalition of pharmacists, the pharmaceutical industry and a health-care group has set up a Web site to discourage Rhode Islanders from importing drugs from Canada, saying that as the state moves closer to allowing the practice, the “sick and elderly will need extra protection from unsafe prescription medicine that could easily flow into Rhode Island medicine cabinets if importation occurs.
The site, www.RISafeMeds.org, includes a “Patient Bill of Rights” and safety guidelines on Internet drug purchases, counterfeit medicine and safe, low-cost alternatives to importing prescription medicine from unknown foreign sources through Canada.
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The “Patient Bill of Rights” declares that Rhode Islanders have the right to safe, FDA-approved drugs. The document also says that any pharmacist who seeks a waiver of liability for dispensed prescriptions is not a professional and should be avoided by Rhode Island patients.
The coalition behind the site includes the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association, the Arthritis Foundation of Southern New England and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
In a news release, Jack Hutson, executive director of the pharmacists association, said he “regrets” that the site “has become necessary,” but believes “it is imperative to warn Rhode Islanders of the hazards that could unfold.”
“It is inconceivable to most pharmacists that the State of Rhode Island is on the verge of allowing importation without putting proper safeguards in place to protect Rhode Islanders,” said Hutson. “As pharmacists, we have a responsibility to protect our patients and that is what we are seeking to do through this web site.”
Hutson said by allowing importation, Rhode Island would put its citizens at increased risk of receiving counterfeit medicine from what has become a “growing international counterfeit drug trade.” He added that Rhode Islanders would also be forced to relinquish legal rights when purchasing medicine through the Internet.
“Despite the published reports of the dangers associated with Internet drug purchases, and the escalation of counterfeit drugs, the State of Rhode Island continues to move forward with its ill-conceived importation plan,” said Steve Evangelista, executive director of the Arthritis Foundation of Southern New England. “I urge all Rhode Islanders to visit RISafeMeds.org to review the Patient Bill of Rights and learn more about how to protect themselves and their families from the hazards of importation.”
Along with an archive of news articles about drug importation and counterfeit drugs, the site includes a link to RxforRI.org, a Web site that helps Rhode Islanders tap into government and industry programs that provide prescription coverage and/or free or discounted drugs.
