Wednesday, April 14, 2004

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Canadian pharmacy feels the squeeze
A Canadian mail-order firm supplying low-cost drugs to Minnesotans said Wednesday it likely will join others and import medicine from England for resale to Americans.

The action could run afoul of Minnesota officials, who in January endorsed Total Care Pharmacy of Calgary and another firm as safe and reliable, listing their prices and contact information on a state Web site.

Total Care, which also is listed on Web sites operated by the state of Wisconsin and the Minnesota Senior Federation, has a two-week backlog of U.S. orders for the Pfizer company's popular arthritis drug Celebrex, said Andy Troszok, a company official. The imports from England could start in about three weeks, Troszok said. "We have to do something," he added.

From Yahoo News:
Governor Urges Feds to Allow Canada Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) is using "hardball tactics" in its effort to stop traffic in low-cost prescription drugs from Canada, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle said Wednesday.

State officials and Internet pharmacies north of the border said they fear credit card companies will quit processing the transactions under pressure from the FDA.

"We're dealing with some hardball tactics," Doyle said, after testifying to a government panel that is exploring whether drug imports from Canada and elsewhere should be made legal.

From the Brockton (Mass.) Enterprise:
Stoughton considers buying Canadian drugs
Selectmen agreed Tuesday night to consider importing prescription drugs from Canada as a way to save the town money.

Selectmen met Tuesday with Jack Sharry of the Insurance Advisory Committee.

Sharry, who was to head for Washington today to testify before the FDA on drug importation, helped establish such a prescription drug program in Worcester.

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