Protect Our Prescription & OTC Drugs

Posted on July 29, 2007
by Maureen Keene

The U.S. imported $42 billion in drugs and drug ingredients last year, and China is quickly gaining dominance the drug market.  Like the import of individual food ingredients, there is no way for consumers to know that drug ingredients have come from abroad because no specific country of origin labeling is required.  Further, the FDA does not conduct the types of inspections in foreign manufacturing facilities that it does within the U.S. and relies on the pharmaceutical companies to conduct their own safety testing.

William Hubbard, former associate commissioner at the FDA, calls the current situation “dire and deteriotating.”

Tell your representatives in Congress that you are concerned about the quality and safety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the U.S. today.  Urge them to strengthen the FDA, require frequent mandatory inspections of overseas manufacturing facilities, and require country of origin labels for drug ingredients from outside the U.S. 

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