HDMA CALLS FOR CONTINUED EMPHASIS
ON PATIENT SAFETY AND INTEGRITY OF THE U.S. PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN,
IN RESPONSE TO RELEASE OF
HHS DRUG IMPORTATION TASK FORCE REPORT
RESTON, Va., Dec. 21, 2004 –– The
Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), representing
full-service U.S. healthcare distributors, stated today it is fully
reviewing the Health and Human Services (HHS) Task Force Report on
Importation. “The nation’s healthcare distributors are
committed, first and foremost to patient safety and the integrity
of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain. As such, we are continuing
our work with the Administration and Congress to ensure that a safe
and secure prescription drug supply chain is the paramount consideration
in the debate over drug importation,” said John M. Gray, HDMA
President and CEO.
“HDMA and our member company distributors have testified
before the HHS Task Force and we’ve been consistently outspoken
on the critical importance of assuring patient safety when considering
the issues of drug importation. Our focus has been, and continues
to be, on three key safety issues we believe must be thoroughly
addressed: product authentication, product integrity, and product
availability. Each offers significant challenges that require extensive
study and consideration before moving forward with any importation
proposal.”
Gray continued, “Today as drug counterfeiting
and terrorism are front-and-center issues, we urge policymakers
to be exceedingly
careful before moving forward with any program to import medicines
from abroad. HDMA will continue to provide policymakers with
fact-based information on supply chain issues as importation
is considered.
In the meantime, we applaud the continued efforts of HHS to conduct
a comprehensive review of the issues and identification of the
concerns surrounding importation.”
About HDMA
For more than 125 years, HDMA has worked with members to secure a
safe, efficient and reliable healthcare distribution system that
is able to provide
life-saving health products and services. HDMA members are responsible
for ensuring that billions of units of medication are safely delivered
to tens of thousands of
retail pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other provider
sites in all 50 states in the most efficient manner possible. HDMA
members are a
vital link in the healthcare system, providing highest-quality solutions
that remove
costs and empower providers to deliver care more effectively. Through
our advocacy activities, HDMA operates at the forefront of healthcare
and ensures that members’ perspectives
and businesses are understood and addressed in legislative and regulatory
arenas.
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