Case Study: Importing Drugs to US
7-3: Should the United States legalize the importation of lower cost pharmaceuticals? If so, should this apply to individual consumers, pharmacies, or other entities?
The US should legalize the importation of lower-cost pharmaceuticals from selected countries with testing and licensure requirements similar to those of the FDA. Strict conformity to US standards for handling and manufacturing prescriptions would ensure that Americans are protected from unsafe medication. Importation would also lower drug prices for American consumers as assessments have indicated that prescription drugs in countries like Canada retail at between 40 and 60 percent less than in the US (XXX). Ultimately, this would result in significant cost savings for individual customers as well as private and public payers. For instance, the state of Florida projects that its importation program would save the state between $80 and $150 million in prescription expenses annually (Freed et al., 2021).
Current importation laws only allow pharmaceutical companies to import drugs into the US. In essence, this means that manufacturers set their own drug prices in the American market. However, this creates a monopoly among manufacturers that limits price competition and encourages price gouging (XXX). For instance, the case demonstrates...
…been realized.The FDA could set the standard that only drugs that are currently marketed in the US would be eligible for importation. Current law excludes certain drugs and biological products from importation including drugs inhaled during surgery, intravenously injected drugs, infused drugs, biological products such as insulin, controlled substances, and drugs such as opioids that are classified under the FDAs Risk Mitigation and Evaluation Strategies (REMS) for posing serious safety concerns (Freed et al., 2021). These drugs could be excluded from importation, due to their associated safety concerns. Any other drugs that is currently marketed in the US market could be imported for…
References
Freed, M., Neuman, T., & Cubanski, J. (2021). 10 FAQs on prescription drug importation. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/10-faqs-on-prescription-drug-importation
XXX (APA Reference for book sent as resource)
It is however important to note that the effectiveness of such a prevention plan is largely dependent on how well it is implemented. In my view, the successful implementation of the plan could see the country freed from the menace of prescription drug abuse. Apart from OxyContin, which is essentially a narcotic painkiller, the other prescription drugs which are commonly abused according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse
1). Taking drugs for longer than medically necessary, asking multiple physicians for drugs, or simply accepting medications for which they are over-prescribed by irresponsible physicians can all shape the pattern of elderly person's prescription drug abuse. Taking prescription drugs with alcohol or drugs that are contraindicated with their medications is another. Drugs with psychoactive properties may be more prescribed amongst the elderly, because it is assumed they are less likely
Prescription Drug Abuse: Narcotics In today's society, the debate as to whether or not prescription narcotics are necessary in certain situations is one that is fueled mainly be the tendency for patients to overuse after being prescribed these medications. In many situations, patients present with pain that is treated by their respective physicians with prescriptions drugs that fall into the category of narcotics and opiates in order for the cited pain
Usually, both physical and psychological components need to be addressed. Byrd (2001) explains, the function of brain cells (neurons) is affected when a drug is used repeatedly over a long period of time. Each neuron produces and releases chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters can impact the function of the nerve cell, making it produce and release hormones. "The neurotransmitters that have been associated with addiction include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine,
The FDA also, amongst others, has recommended that clinical trials used to support advertising claims be approved by the FDA and to institute stiff fines against those found gaily of deceptive tactics. (Turning Medicine Into Snake Oil...) There is little doubt from the research that pharmaceutical companies have to be made more accountable for their products and advertising promises. References Borden Anne. Vioxx Stroke Risk could last for Years. 2007. Retrieved
Prescriptions are everywhere, and even adult prescriptions are easily accessed by youth abusing the wide variety of drugs. The 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found four percent of America's youth "ages 12 to 17 reported nonmedical use of prescription medications in the past month," (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1). Children given medications at a young age also have a greater chance of developing later
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