Thursday, February 19, 2004

From the Washington Post:
Pfizer Cuts Supplies to Canadian Drugstores
Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug manufacturer, has cut off supplies to a number of Canadian mail-order pharmacies as part of the escalating battle between the industry and U.S. consumers hunting for bargains across the border.

Pfizer sent a letter Feb. 12 to Winnipeg-based Universal Drug Store and a half dozen other companies informing them that "effective immediately, your pharmacy is no longer approved to purchase Pfizer products from Pfizer Canada's authorized distributors."

From CBC New Brunswick:
Report drug reactions, save lives: doctors
Some New Brunswick doctors and pharmacists say it should be mandatory to report adverse drug reactions.

Reporting is voluntary, and Health Canada estimates that only between one and 10 percent of adverse drug reactions are reported.

Pharmacist Peter Ford of Moncton reports six or seven adverse drug reactions a year. But it could take years before the information is published in a medical journal.

Ford says it would be useful to make the reporting mandatory. "These reports are anecdotal but at least it gives you, especially if you start seeing trends where things are causing rashes, or various syndroms that may cause blisters or something like that. And the worst adverse reaction is mortality."

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