Pharmacy groups disagree on internet sales of Tamiflu
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 | 12:16 PM ET
CBC News
The Ontario Pharmacists' Association said Canada can't afford to be a medicine cabinet for the U.S., and has renewed its call for the federal government to ban all drug exports.
- INDEPTH: Cross-border Rx
On Tuesday, Swiss drug maker Hoffman-La Roche temporarily suspended sales of Tamiflu in Canada to conserve stocks as the regular flu season approaches.
- FROM OCT. 25, 2005: Tamiflu sales halted as personal stockpiles grow
"We have a supply that's put in place to secure our own personal needs in this country [and that] has been compromised through the sale of the Canadian drugs via the internet to the Americans, because they can get it cheaper," said Kealey. He called for a ban on internet drug exports.
Internet pharmacy groups countered there is no shortage of Tamiflu in Canada.
Until recently, Tamiflu didn't make the top 200 list of drugs shipped to the U.S., so it's not surprising sales have doubled or tripled, said David MacKay, former director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.
"Fear always tends to outstrip logic in situations like this," said MacKay. "I think the government of Canada has actually been doing a very good job of preparing for this issue. If they had felt we were a threat to the drug supply, we would heard from them by now."
If there is a shortage of Tamiflu or any other product then a Canada-first policy would go into effect to make sure drugs are accessible to Canadians, MacKay said.
