Gov. Jim Doyle testified before the Federal Drug Importation Task Force Wednesday defending the website he initiated that allows Wisconsin residents to order prescription drugs from Canada.

In his testimony, the governor accused the federal government of working on behalf of pharmaceutical companies plotting to increase their profits rather than for citizens struggling to pay their drug bills.

“It is time for the FDA to stop doing the bidding of the drug
lobby, and start helping states like Wisconsin to implement a safe system of
prescription-drug re-importation,” Doyle said.

The FDA has frequently spoken out against drug importation, claiming unregulated drugs from other countries pose a potential public health hazard.

“Compromising safety for price is not in the best interest of the American public, and we should not force Americans to settle for that” William K. Hubbard, Associate FDA Commissioner for Policy & Planning wrote in a letter about an Illinois plan to buy Canadian drugs.

The task force Doyle testified before was formed to provide a comprehensive study on the issue of drug importation by the end of the year. Health and Human Services Secretary, and former Republican Wisconsin governor, Tommy Thompson will use the body’s recommendations to decide what action should be taken on importing drugs from Canada.

“Americans must have confidence in their medications,” Thompson said in a release issued by the FDA.

Due to the high costs of prescription drugs, many states have begun to directly buy drugs from Canada at prices significantly lower than the price of many medicines purchased in the United States. Wisconsin’s website, www.drugsavings.wi.gov, was launched in late February and has since had more than 87,000 visitors.

In his testimony, Doyle defended Wisconsin’s active drug-importation efforts as safe due to background checks the state has done on pharmacies. Doyle assured the imported drugs are “safe, reputable and reliable.” He said the Bush Administration, rather than attacking efforts to reduce the cost of drugs, should be working to ensure prescription drugs not just safe, but affordable as well.

“It is time for the Federal Government to move past the scare campaign and heavy-handed tactics of the drug lobby and start being on our side as we work to make prescription drugs affordable for all Americans,” he said.

Doyle criticized the FDA for spending time and effort attacking Wisconsin’s website rather than working in cooperation with the state to address the problem of rising drug costs. Doyle testified he urged Attorney General John Ashcroft to investigate a possible U.S. drug manufacturing blacklisting of Canadian pharmacies doing business with American citizens, but has thus far seen no action.