Released on: June 25, 2008, 2:20 pm

Press Release Author: Partnership for Safe Medicines

Industry: Government

Press Release Summary: Consumer protection group urges Congress to address safety
issues associated with online drug sales.

Press Release Body: WASHINGTON (June 25, 2008) - The Partnership for Safe Medicines,
a group of organizations and individuals dedicated to protect consumers from
counterfeit medicines, issued the following statement regarding yesterday\'s House
Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security hearing on "Online
Pharmacies and the Problem of Internet Drug Abuse" and the proposed "Ryan Haight
Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008" (H.R. 6353 and S. 980).

"The Partnership for Safe Medicines commends the members of this subcommittee and
Representatives Stupak, Smith and Bono Mack for addressing a major safety issue
associated with online drug access-the sale of controlled substances over the
Internet without a valid prescription.

"Unfortunately, mandating prescriptions for drugs purchased online will not be
enough to stop this public health threat. Internet drug peddlers will simply bridge
the gap by creating and selling fake prescriptions. Rogue online drug sellers
enable drug abusers to purchase their drug of choice and endanger consumers by
passing off counterfeit medications.

"One of the Partnership's core principles for drugs safety is that we must regulate
online pharmacies. We value the rigorous oversight and standards that govern
traditional pharmacies in the United States and believe all online drug sellers
should be held to the same standards. We advocate that no one should be able to
purchase any type of prescription drug, not just controlled substances, over the
Internet without a valid prescription. That is why we endorse the Verified Internet
Pharmacy Practice Site accreditation program (VIPPS.info) created by the National
Association of Boards of Pharmacy. All Internet drug vendors, regardless of which
state or country they are based in, must comply with the pharmaceutical licensing
and survey requirements for every state they send pharmaceuticals.

"Unscrupulous online businesses will continue to sell whatever to whomever, as long
as they are paid. If we truly want to avoid another deadly incident of failed
Internet drug safety, we urge Congress to take this opportunity to further address
the vulnerabilities threatening the safety of our prescription drugs. To learn more
about how we can protect our supply chain, regulate online pharmacies, fight
counterfeit drugs and other principles of drug safety, please visit
SafeMedicines.org."

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About the Partnerships for Safe Medicines
The Partnership for Safe Medicines is a group of organizations and individuals that
have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or
contraband medicines. To join us in our stand against counterfeit drugs or obtain
your own copy of the Principles for Drug Safety doctrine, please visit
www.SafeMedicines.org.


Web Site: http://www.SafeMedicines.org.

Contact Details: Contact: Deborah J. Danuser, 202-742-5256, Deborah@JonesPA.com