Pharmacy organizations raise concerns about Florida's drug importation program

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January 17, 2024 4:00 PM EST

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Our pharmacy organizations are deeply concerned about FDA's recent authorization of a state drug importation program, which could open the door for harmful and counterfeit drugs to enter our nation's drug supply, with no evidence that this will result in cost savings for our patients.

FDA recently authorized Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration to import certain drugs under specific conditions. Under current law, FDA can only authorize importation if the program will significantly reduce the cost to the American consumer without imposing additional risk to public health and safety. FDA's announcement did not contain any data or information that assure that this standard has been met.

While our organizations share concerns regarding the high cost of medicines in the United States, patient safety should not be compromised under any circumstance. As pharmacists, we are on the front lines protecting our nation's drug supply chain and ensuring the delivery of safe and effective medicines to our patients. State importation programs introduce several opportunities for mix-ups, mishandling, mislabeling, and other rogue activity that would place some of our most vulnerable patient communities at risk.

Pharmacists have been working with manufacturers and wholesalers for over ten years to implement the Drug Supply Chain and Security Act (DSCSA), a law that requires tracing of drugs through the supply chain by creating a closed drug distribution system in the U.S. to protect patients from receiving harmful drugs. DSCSA imposes protections and requires documentation that follows the drug from the manufacturer to the pharmacy, so it is clear who owned the product, and that the product is legitimate. Canada does not have a similar law, leaving our drug supply chain at risk under Florida's program.

We look forward to continuing to work with FDA and other policymakers to implement meaningful solutions to lower the high cost of prescription drugs without compromising patient safety.

American Pharmacists Association

National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

National Community Pharmacists Association

American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists

Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists

American College of Clinical Pharmacy

Alabama Pharmacy Association

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Alaska Pharmacy Association

Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association

Alabama Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc

Arizona Pharmacy Association

Arkansas Association of Health-System Pharmacists

Arkansas Pharmacists Association

Colegio de Farmaceuticos de Puerto Rico

California Pharmacists Association

Colorado Pharmacists Society

Colorado Pharmacists Society

East Alabama Health

Connecticut Pharmacists Association

Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Delaware Pharmacists Society

Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists

Georgia Pharmacy Association

Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacy

Hawaii Pharmacists Association

Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Illinois Pharmacists Association

Louisiana Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Indiana Pharmacy Association

Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Iowa Pharmacy Association

Minnesota Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Kansas Pharmacists Association

Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Kentucky Pharmacists Association 

Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacist

Maine Pharmacy Association

New Jersey Society of Health-System Pharmacy

Maryland Pharmacists Association

New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists

Michigan Pharmacists Association

Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Minnesota Pharmacists Association

Rhode Island Society of Health System Pharmacists

Mississippi Pharmacists Association

Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Missouri Pharmacy Association

Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Montana Pharmacy Association

Vermont Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Nebraska Pharmacists Association

Washington State Pharmacy Association

Nevada Pharmacy Alliance


New Jersey Pharmacists Association


North Carolina Association of Pharmacists


North Dakota Pharmacists Association


Ohio Pharmacists Association


Oklahoma Pharmacists Association


Oregon State Pharmacy Association


Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association


Pharmacists Society of the State of New York


Rhode Island Pharmacists Association


South Carolina Pharmacy Association


South Dakota Pharmacists Association


Tennessee Pharmacists Association


Utah Pharmacy Association


Virginia Pharmacy Association


Washington D.C. Pharmacy Association


Washington State Pharmacy Association


West Virginia Pharmacists Association


Wyoming Pharmacy Association


Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pharmacy-organizations-raise-concerns-about-floridas-drug-importation-program-302037470.html

SOURCE American Pharmacists Association


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