ANCHOR LEAD
CANADA'S CRACKING DOWN. AND SO IS THE U.S. IT'S GETTING HARDER FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO GET CHEAPER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS NORTH OF THE BORDER. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE LOOKING HOMEWARD. SO WHERE ARE MORE AND MORE AMERICANS TURNING FOR MEDICATION BARGAINS INSTEAD? YOU MAY BE SURPRISED!
HERE'S________________WITH A HEADS UP! ON A TREND THAT'S GOT THE F-D-A WORRIED...

SOT
NO KEY
"I have a chronic condition, so I'll be on medication, I guess, for the rest of my life."

TRACK ONE Length:09
CLIENT NOTE:Stephanie requested that we withhold her last name.
STEPHANIE IS A 32-YEAR-OLD SINGLE MOM WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER. THAT MEANS TWO MEDICATIONS EVERYDAY.
THE PROBLEM: SHE HAS NO HEALTH INSURANCE.

SOT
KEY @: 14 Stephanie, Buys medications from overseas
"I presently buy my medication online thru Canada."

TRACK TWO Length: 13
SHE SAYS IT'S CHEAPER THAN AT HOME. BUT LIKE MANY...STEPHANIE FEARS HER DISCOUNTS MIGHT DRY UP AS BOTH THE U-S AND CANADIAN GOVERMENTS CRACK DOWN ON PRESCRIPTION IMPORTS.
EXPERTS SAY THAT FEAR HAS MANY AMERICANS LOOKING TO OTHER BORDERS.

SOT
KEY @: 29 Jerry Flanagan,Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
"We've seen an increase in Mexico."

TRACK THREE Length: 10
JERRY FLANAGAN IS WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR TAXPAYER AND CONSUMER RIGHTS. HE SAYS HIGH PRICES HERE ARE FORCING PEOPLE TO BUY DRUGS ONLINE FROM EUROPE, ASIA AND EVEN THE BAHAMAS!

SOT
KEY @: 41 Jerry Flanagan, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
"This is happening at a greater and greater rate."

TRACK FOUR Length: 15
CLIENT NOTE: The full FDA statement is listed in the Source Information.
BUT THE FDA TELLS US IT IS "VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISKS" ...SAYING: "IN OUR EXPERIENCE, MANY DRUGS OBTAINED FROM FOREIGN
SOURCES THAT PURPORT AND APPEAR TO BE THE SAME AS U.S. APPROVED PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS HAVE BEEN OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN AND QUALITY."

SOT
KEY @: 58 Stephanie, Buys medications from overseas
"I'm not worried about the safety issue at all."

TRACK FIVE Length: 10
DESPITE THE F-D-A'S WARNING... STEPHANIE FEELS IT'S NECESSARY. FLANAGAN SAYS THE KEY IS TO BE SMART. NEVER BUY DRUGS FROM A WEBSITE THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A PHYSICIAN'S PRESCRIPTION.

SOT
KEY @: 1:12 Jerry Flanagan, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
"That's a good sign that these companies are not on the up and up."

TRACK SIX Length: 05
ALSO...RESEARCH THE PHARMACY YOU'RE USING.
AND OF COURSE...LIKE WITH ALL MEDS...

SOT
KEY @: 1:19 Jerry Flanagan, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
"Make sure that when they arrive that the factory seal is still intact."

TRACK SEVEN Length: 07
FOR STEPHANIE-IF SHE CAN'T CONTINUE TO BUY DRUGS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, SHE SAYS SHE'LL HAVE TO GO OFF HER MEDS. AND THAT SCARES HER.

SOT
KEY @: 1:31 Stephanie, Buys medications from overseas
"I'm concerned, not only for myself, but for my son...because if I don't take my medication that will affect him. It worries me a lot."

ANCHOR TAG
ONE OTHER NOTE:
IF YOU USE A REFRIGERATED MEDICATION LIKE INSULIN, EXPERTS SAY IT'S BEST TO BUY IT HERE IN THE U-S BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO STAY COOL.
IT'S HARD TO TELL WHETHER IT STAYED REFRIGERATED WHEN IT CROSSES THE BORDER.

SOURCES

Jerry Flanagan
Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
1750 Ocean Park Boulevard
Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-392-0522
jerry@consumerwatchdog.org

Jerry specializes in prescription drugs for the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights (FTCR).
The group is a nationally recognized non-profit education and advocacy organization. Their job is to fight to protect people's interests, holding politicians and special interests accountable when they endanger the public.

FDA
Contact:
Laura Alvey
301 827 6252
The exact statement from the FDA is as follows:

The "FDA is very concerned about the safety risks associated with the importation of prescription drugs from foreign countries. In our experience, many drugs obtained from foreign sources that purport and appear to be the same as U.S. approved prescription drugs have been of unknown origin and quality. We cannot provide adequate
assurance to the American public that the drug products delivered to
consumers in the United States from foreign countries are the same
products approved by FDA."
The above sums up overall the FDA stance on drug importation.