Importation of Prescription Medications: Experiences Opinions, and Intended Behaviors of U.S. Community Pharmacists

Abstract

To describe community pharmacists' experiences with consumer demand for imported pharmaceuticals and their opinions about economic, policy, and patient care issues surrounding importation of medications and their willingness to procure these products from international sources, if legally permitted. Cross-sectional study. Four states in the United States (Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, and Florida). Community/outpatient pharmacists. Telephone-based survey conducted in March 2004. Self-reported opinions of pharmacists on importation of prescription drugs. Of 401 respondents, approximately 90% agreed that the Medicare prescription drug benefit would not diminish consumer interest in importation of medications, and a similar proportion agreed that interest was not limited to the elderly. A majority of pharmacists (69%) agreed that their primary concern about importation was the quality (i.e., purity) of the drugs. However, 57% of pharmacists agreed that drugs purchased through Canada would not pose a greater risk of medication-related problems if U.S. pharmacists oversaw the process and were available to provide patient monitoring and education. Pharmacists strongly favored regulatory actions that might decrease counterfeiting. Nearly one third (32%) of pharmacists believed that consumers should be allowed to purchase medications from Canada legally, while 44% of pharmacists believed that pharmacies should be able to procure prescription drugs from Canada legally. Almost 70% of pharmacists said that they would consider ordering medications from Canada, if legally permitted. Approximately one half of the pharmacists surveyed were concerned about job security as a result of the trend toward importation. This concern was significantly higher among pharmacy owners (chi-square [df= 1] = 9.82; P < .01). Pharmacists expressed concern about safety, liability, and the economic ramifications of prescription drug importation. More favorable opinions were expressed for situations in which imported drugs would be channeled through U.S. pharmacies.