This week was a breakthrough for holding accountable the
pharmaceutical industry for fueling
the opioid crisis, which is responsible for approximately 400,000 deaths
in the U.S. alone. In a landmark ruling, a judge in Oklahoma fined Johnson
& Johnson $572 million for deceptive and aggressive marketing practices of
opioid drugs that contributed to 6,000 deaths in that state. State prosecutors
were successful by charging the drug company under laws relating to “public
nuisances.” To remedy and remove the nuisance, the fine will go toward treatment,
education and prevention programs related to opioid drugs. This resonates
powerfully with me because, for years, I’ve observed how the drug industry abused
the opioid crisis as a lobbying and public relations tool against prescription
drug importation and to crack down against safe international online pharmacies,
and even against
PharmacyChecker. It has done so through its own trade associations and
companies and by funding organizations to do their bidding.
Increasingly frustrated with the state of drug costs in the U.S., millions
of Americans have found refuge in ordering necessary prescription medications
online from Canadian or other international pharmacies for roughly a tenth the cost
of those at their local Walgreens, CVS, or other pharmacy.
For many years, consumers have been relieved to find the international savings
option after a simple search on Google or Bing. Among top search results for the
words “online pharmacies,” there was a list of the
safest international online pharmacies that sell to consumers in the U.S. and
also facts about the benefits
and risks of online pharmacies, including obtaining lower cost medication
from licensed pharmacies abroad. That is, until recently.
Unfortunately, we know that Google and Bing are working with Big
Pharma funded groups and programs. We believe this has led to censorship of
affordable medication access on the Internet.
Americans overwhelmingly believe that drug prices are unreasonably high in our country. Millions have looked to the Internet to find lower drug prices at pharmacies in other countries, many because they have no other choice. For over 16 years, PharmacyChecker has provided online pharmacy verification and drug price comparison information to help these people. As I’ve written about for years, the drug companies and U.S. pharmacy corporations don’t like this and take actions to make it stop.
PharmacyChecker has filed a lawsuit against organizations and companies that we allege are illegally conspiring to “to choke off information about personal importation of affordable prescription medications from regulated, reputable pharmacies in Canada and elsewhere overseas.”
Rochester Drug Cooperative, a large pharmacy wholesaler
accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), pleaded
guilty last week to illegal sales of opioid drugs, including oxycodone and
fentanyl. The NABP operates a program called Verified Authorized Wholesale
Distribution (VAWD). According to its website, NABP VAWD accreditation helps
“ensure that the wholesale distribution facility operates legitimately, is
licensed in good standing, and is employing security and best practices for
safely distributing prescription drugs from manufacturers to pharmacies and
other institutions.”
The nation’s largest pharmacy wholesalers, McKesson,
Amerisource Bergen, and Cardinal Health – companies with many NABP-accredited
facilities – have all paid fines related to civil or criminal charges of
illegal opioid drug sales, including fentanyl. Along with large
drug companies, like Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, and Insys
Therapeutics, the main arteries of American’s “legitimate” drug distribution
supply chain are accused
of causing the opioid epidemic with 218,000 opioid-related deaths over the
last 20 years.
Earlier this week, a report (the
“FGI Report”) opposing prescription drug importation proposals was released
by the law firm of Freeh, Sporkin and Sullivan LLP and the Freeh Group International.
Both organizations are headed by former FBI Director, Louis Freeh. I’m hesitant
to criticize reports authored by dedicated Americans who spent years in public
service protecting the safety of the American people in federal law enforcement.
On the other hand, the intent of tacking the name of a venerated American
patriot on a report that mirrors
the lobbying agenda of the pharmaceutical industry is clearly being used to
deter voices opposed to that agenda.
Summing it all up: this report was commissioned, I believe, by the drug company-funded group Partnership for Safe Medicines or a similar organization. As noted in the report’s title, it’s an addendum to an earlier report published in late 2017, one that was promoted at a Partnership for Safe Medicines media event at the National Press Club.
This week, Wendell Potter, healthcare
advocate and publisher of non-profit media outlet Tarbell, called out a slew of
drug industry experts for undermining efforts to lower drug prices. This
includes the likes of Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute, the
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, and the Partnership for Safe Medicines.
All use the specter of counterfeit drugs and the opioid crisis to scare the
American public away from safe personal importation via online pharmacies.
Recipients of Drug Company Donations
Who is called out?
Sally
Pipes, from the Pacific Research
Institute, because in an op-ed opposing drug importation, Ms. Pipes
obtusely connects Americans ordering drugs from Canada with the many tragic deaths
in low-income countries from
counterfeit drugs.
The Alliance
for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) for peddling false information about
World Health Organization studies and counterfeit drugs.
The Partnership
for Safe Medicines (PSM) for using the opioid crisis as a tool to oppose
importation of regular, less expensive prescription medicine.
Welcome to PharmacyChecker Blog, brought to you by PharmacyChecker.com:
A source for news and analysis about drug prices and safety, online pharmacies and personal drug importation, published on behalf of American consumers.
