WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 31, 2019) – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl issued the following statement:

“The Administration’s importation scheme is far too dangerous for American patients. There is no way to guarantee the safety of drugs that come into the country from outside the United States’ gold-standard supply chain. Drugs coming through Canada could have originated from anywhere in the world and may not have undergone stringent review by the FDA. Law enforcement has repeatedly warned that importation schemes could worsen the opioid crisis and jeopardize public safety. Moreover, Canadian officials have said that the policy is unworkable, and they will not risk shortages by diverting their medicine supply to the United States.

“In the words of Secretary Azar just last year, drug importation is a ‘gimmick’ and ‘the last thing we need is open borders for unsafe drugs.’ Rather than surrender the safety of Americans by importing failed polices from single-payer countries, we should work on solutions here at home that would lower patient out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter.”

About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $900 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $79.6 billion in 2018 alone.

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