HDMA APPLAUDS SENATE FOR ONLINE PHARMACY PROTECTION ACT TO COMBAT ILLEGAL ONLINE SALES OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES

Arlington, VA – October 1, 2008 – The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) today applauded the U.S. Senate on the passage of H.R. 6353, the “Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act,” to further combat the illegal online sales of prescription medicines. Just last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation to help protect patients.

Specifically, H.R. 6353 mandates that no controlled substance can be purchased via the Internet without a valid prescription by a healthcare practitioner who has physically examined the patient at least once.  The bill would also require online pharmacies to comply with the laws of states in which they do business and to display compliance notices and information from their registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  Registered internet pharmacies that fill more than 100 prescriptions, or 5,000 or more doses of drugs, would have to report to the Attorney General on the controlled substances they dispense.

"The member companies of HDMA strongly believe that this legislation will help combat prescription drug abuse facilitated by illegal online purchases,” said John M. Gray, HDMA President and CEO. “On behalf of our national association, we commend the Senate and House leaders for recognizing the growing problem of prescription medicine abuse and for taking swift action.”

About HDMA

The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is the national association representing primary, full-service healthcare distributors. Each business day, the member companies of HDMA are responsible for ensuring that more than eight million prescription medicines and healthcare products are safely delivered to 145,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics, government and other providers in all 50 states. This essential public health function is provided with tremendous efficiency, saving the nation’s healthcare system nearly $32 billion each year. HDMA and its members are the vital link in the healthcare system, working daily to provide value, remove costs and develop innovative solutions to deliver care safely and effectively.