08 June 2004

Canada trip to buy drugs is called off; Pfizer blamed

The president of the Connecticut Council of Senior Citizens asked U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons Monday to use his "substantial influence" with Pfizer Inc. to stop the company from threatening Canadian pharmacies that sell prescription drugs to Americans.

Charlene Block said that a senior bus trip to Montreal next week to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs had to be canceled because of Pfizer's recent actions against Canadian pharmacies and distributors, including the suspension of two distribution licenses.

"In the beginning, it didn't make sense that we had to go to Canada," Block said during a news conference outside the Norwich office of the 2nd Congressional District Republican, "and now Pfizer has shut down that avenue."

Block released copies of a Pfizer company memo dated last January advising pharmacies and distributors of a revised policy strictly limiting the sale of Pfizer products to Canadian customers only. A second memo, dated Feb. 26, reiterated the policy and noted that two distributors were no longer licensed to distribute Pfizer products because of their failure to comply.

As a result of that action, Block said, the Montreal pharmacy the group had worked with in the past informed her that it could no longer honor the prescriptions from the group of Connecticut seniors.

Democratic congressional candidate James Sullivan, whose campaign organized Monday's protest outside Simmons' office, accused Pfizer of using "strong-arm tactics" to protect its profits at the expense of people who need its product.

"When I heard about this last week, I was outraged," Sullivan said, calling on Simmons to denounce the company's action.

Sullivan noted that Simmons had received $8,000 in campaign contributions from Pfizer's Political Action Committee and just over $9,000 more from individual Pfizer employees during this current election cycle. According to Federal Election Commissions, the Pfizer PAC has contributed $20,000 to Simmons since December 2000.

"I'm simply asking the congressman to see the light on this issue," Sullivan said. "We need to get seniors in this country prescription drugs at a lower cost."

"On that last point, Congressman Simmons would agree with Mr. Sullivan," said Todd Mitchell, Simmons' Washington chief of staff. "But unless Jim Sullivan is going to take this protest to Sen. Chris Dodd's office, then he's just being political on this. Congressman Simmons and Sen. Dodd hold similar positions on the issue of re-importing prescription drugs."

Dodd spokeswoman Ryan McGinn said Monday she was unaware of Simmons' position on the issue but that Dodd supported re-importation provided the drugs were both safe and cost-effective.

Mitchell said Simmons also supports that position.

Mitchell also noted that both Dodd and Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, both Democrats, have received substantial campaign contributions from Pfizer over the years.

"As for Pfizer's business practices," Mitchell said, "I don't think the congressman has any such influence."

Pfizer officials did not return phone calls seeking comment on the company's memos and the suspension of distribution licenses in Canada.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the pharmaceutical industry has spent millions of dollars lobbying Congress in recent years to block any effort to impose price controls or restrictions on drug sales. According to the center's research, the industry gave $27 million in campaign contributions during the 2002 campaign, with 75 percent going to Republican candidates. In the 2004 election cycle, the industry has contributed another $8.3 million, with 67 percent going to GOP candidates.

Congress enacted a Republican-backed Medicare reform measure last year that provides for a drug benefit administered through private insurance companies. That measure, however, prohibits citizens from purchasing cheaper drugs from across the border.

Block, whose group represents 65,000 Connecticut seniors, said Monday that two previous bus trips to Montreal resulted in seniors realizing substantial savings in their prescription drugs. A May 2002 trip with 29 seniors resulted in just under $35,000 saved on six month supplies of prescriptions. A second trip in October that year, with 42 seniors, resulted in $65,000 saved compared to the cost of purchasing the same drug here in the United States.

"With 52 seniors planning to go (next week), who knows how much would have been saved this trip," she said

By Ray Hackett Norwich Bulletin

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