Giuliani Report wakeup call to Mainers

As president of the Maine Pharmacy Association, I know firsthand the power of medicine in people’s lives. The right medicine, dispensed by the right trained professional, can result in greater quality of life for a patient. Conversely, the wrong medicine, or wrong dosage, can have serious negative consequences. That is why importing drugs from other countries is so dangerous – there are no guarantees that the drug you take won’t actually harm you instead of help you.

The perils of drug importation are the focus of a new report released by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In the report, “Examination and Assessment of Prescription Drug Importation from Foreign Sources to the United States,” Giuliani finds that counterfeit drug cases in the United States are on the rise, and it is becoming more and more difficult to ensure the authenticity of drugs.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this report.

The report also found that nearly 90 percent of suspected drug parcels randomly examined at John F. Kennedy International Airport mail facilities contained non-FDA approved medicines. What is even more troubling is that, due to resource constraints, officials are able to inspect fewer than 1 to 2 percent of packages that come into the airport daily. That is a shocking statistic and one that should give all Mainers pause.

What about right here in Maine? How can we know if drugs entering our state from foreign sources are safe for our citizens? The very scary answer to that question is we have no idea.

In addition, the report by Giuliani finds that “several credible sources have identified links between counterfeit goods, including pharmaceuticals, and organized criminals and terrorist groups.” Is having the safety of all our citizens put in jeopardy for supposed cheaper drugs a risk worth taking? The answer is no.

Federal law clearly prohibits drug importation. In Maine, several groups are attempting to break the law, and expose our citizens to the dangers illustrated in the Giuliani Report. A bill from Sen. Michael Brennan is the second major importation bill this month to be discussed in the state Legislature. I urge everyone to read the Giuliani Report and then contact their state legislator, telling them not to encourage law breakers who want drug importation in Maine.

The message we must send to the legislators is very simple: Importing drugs from foreign sources risks the health of patients and make the U.S. drug supply vulnerable to contamination. Those willing to play the dangerous shell game of drug importation must understand the very real consequences. I encourage all Mainers to seek solutions to the cost of medications by working with their local pharmacists, not by risking their lives with imported drugs.

There is no such thing as a safe drug importation program.

Christopher R. Gauthier, RPh, is the president of the Maine Pharmacy Association.