The federal government has stepped up seizures of imported drugs. Thousands of Americans who order their prescriptions from Canada and other countries have received notice from the government that their medications have been confiscated. The crackdown and strong legal warnings mark a shift in the policies of the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs, which up until now have rarely acted against private citizens who purchase drugs from Canada.

Many Canadian drugs, particularly brand name medications, remain less expensive than the combined cost of premiums, deductibles, and purchasing drugs through Medicare Part D plans. This gives a substantial number of seniors, especially those who live along the Canadian border, little incentive to enroll in Part D.

The stricter enforcement, which started November 17, just two days after the beginning of the Initial Enrollment for drug plans, appeared to coincide with the kick-off of the new drug benefit. The policy applies only to mail order shipments, not to U.S. citizens who cross into Canada to personally pick up their prescriptions.

Critics, including TSCL, say increasing the number of seizures is irresponsible. "It is amazing that we have a government that can’t control our borders from illegal immigration and literally tons of illegal narcotic drugs that are coming into this country every day, but by God they can stop Grandma from saving $50 on her prescription drugs," says Representative Gil Gutknecht (MN), a long-time supporter of drug re-importation. TSCL continues to press Congress for the enactment of his "Pharmaceutical Market Access" legislation (H.R. 328) to allow re-importation of safe, FDA-approved prescription drugs from Canada and other nations.

Have you signed our Petition to Congress to Support Market Access to Prescription Drugs?

Sources: "U.S. Steps Up Seizures of Imported Drugs," Christopher Rowland, The Boston Globe, March 26, 2006. "Canadian Drugs Beat Medicare Many Say," Katie Merx, Detroit Free Press, April 6, 2006.

May 2006