Drug Reimportation is Safe, Just This Once

From the Center for American Progress:

For years, the Bush administration – at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry – has been blocking access to cheaper FDA-approved prescription drugs imported from Canada because it claimed they were not safe. But yesterday, in an abrupt about face, the administration announced the FDA is in "active negotiations" to obtain an extra 1.5 million doses of flu vaccine from a Canadian manufacturer. Acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford said "the FDA would inspect the Canadian facilities to see if they meet U.S. standards" and, if they meet those standards, it is possible the Canadian-made vaccine "would make it to American consumers this flu season." The FDA did not explain why, if the safety of Canadian-made vaccine could be established so quickly, it still hasn't figured out whether prescription drugs reimported from Canada are safe. (For the record, the FDA "can't name a single American who's been injured" from drugs purchased from a Canadian pharmacy.)

Oh, the explanation is simple enough: drug reimportation is safe as long as, in doing so, a domestic pharmaceutical company isn't deprived of the right to gouge consumers. If Chiron was at full capacity in making flu vaccine, you can bet the Bush Administration would be issuing grave warnings about reimported drugs being unsafe.