TORONTO—Canada 's pharmacists said Monday they were banding together to fight a U.S. bill that could see a flood of brand-name prescription drugs exported south of the border.
The group, which includes the Canadian Pharmacists Association, the Ontario Pharmacists Association, the Best Medicines Coalition and the Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution, warns the bill could deplete the supply of prescription drugs in Canada .
The groups are urging Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement to introduce a ban on bulk and retail exports of prescription drugs to the United States.
The Democratic Party-controlled U.S. Congress intends to move legislation allowing prescription drug imports from Canada as a way to address the high cost of U.S. prescription drugs.
Canadian pharmacists fear passage of the bill could deplete Canada 's supply.
"Rather than deal with it from a domestic point of view, (U.S. lawmakers) are looking to our drug supply to provide the answers," said Louise Crandall, a spokeswoman at the Canadian Pharmacists Association. "That obviously will have a negative impact on our drug supply."
Crandall said the pharmacists have been lobbying Clement for a number of months to take action to staunch the flow of the drugs, which would include brand-name heart and cholesterol treatments, to the huge U.S. market.
The Canadian government said it was prepared to protect domestic supply if needed but it saw no problem for now.
"At present there is no threat to the Canadian drug supply. In fact, there has been a downward trend in overall sales of pharmaceuticals to the U.S.," said Clement's press secretary, Erik Waddell.
"We'll continue to monitor the situation and take action if necessary."
The CPA estimates that at its peak in 2003, the cross-border drug trade was valued at more than C$1 billion ($850 million).
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