Washington, D.C. - This National Doctors’ Day, the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation celebrates doctors who advocate for the advancement of prescription importation.
“CPPI extends a huge thank you to all the doctors who have advocated for the expansion of prescription importation to ensure patient access to affordable medications,” says executive director, Jack Pfeiffer. “Millions of Americans already rely on personal prescription importation to access critical daily medications. Doctors recognize that prescription importation lowers costs, removes barriers to prescription adherence, and saves lives.”
In particular, this National Doctor’s Day CPPI recognizes three doctors who have advocated for prescription importation before Congress:
Dr. Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, BS Pharm, MA Pub Adm, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Director of the PRIME Institute College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota, testified before the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee arguing, “It is not feasible for the United States to manufacture all, or even most, of its needed pharmaceuticals. Near-shoring to markets, such as Canada and Mexico or other places in the Americas, will allow for cost-effective production while affording improved geographic access [to prescription drugs].”
Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, testified before the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, stating, “Patients in the U.S. should have access to safe, effective, and affordable medications, regardless of where they are manufactured or distributed.”
Dr. Peter Bach, director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, testified before the Senate Finance Committee, “Many of the medications sold in the United States are actually manufactured in the same facilities that produce drugs for foreign countries. These drugs are subjected to the same safety and quality controls, and importing them would not compromise patient safety.”
“These doctors, health experts, and millions of American patients all attest to the safety of prescription importation. We applaud all medical professionals who go above and beyond to ensure their patients know that they can save money and ensure access to critical medications from safe licensed international pharmacies,” said Pfeiffer.