Importation of prescription medications: experiences, opinions, and intended behaviors of U.S. community pharmacists.
OBJECTIVE
To describe community pharmacists' experiences with consumer demand for imported pharmaceuticals and their opinions about economic, policy, and patient care issues surrounding importation of medications and their willingness to procure these products from international sources, if legally permitted.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Four states in the United States (Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, and Florida).


METHODS
Community/outpatient pharmacists.


METHODS
Telephone-based survey conducted in March 2004.


METHODS
Self-reported opinions of pharmacists on importation of prescription drugs.


RESULTS
Of 401 respondents, approximately 90% agreed that the Medicare prescription drug benefit would not diminish consumer interest in importation of medications, and a similar proportion agreed that interest was not limited to the elderly. A majority of pharmacists (69%) agreed that their primary concern about importation was the quality (i.e., purity) of the drugs. However, 57% of pharmacists agreed that drugs purchased through Canada would not pose a greater risk of medication-related problems if U.S. pharmacists oversaw the process and were available to provide patient monitoring and education. Pharmacists strongly favored regulatory actions that might decrease counterfeiting. Nearly one third (32%) of pharmacists believed that consumers should be allowed to purchase medications from Canada legally, while 44% of pharmacists believed that pharmacies should be able to procure prescription drugs from Canada legally. Almost 70% of pharmacists said that they would consider ordering medications from Canada, if legally permitted. Approximately one half of the pharmacists surveyed were concerned about job security as a result of the trend toward importation. This concern was significantly higher among pharmacy owners (chi-square [df= 1] = 9.82; P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacists expressed concern about safety, liability, and the economic ramifications of prescription drug importation. More favorable opinions were expressed for situations in which imported drugs would be channeled through U.S. pharmacies.
Pickard
A Simon
AS
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Center for Pharmacoeconomic Research, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
Nau
David P
DP
McKercher
Patrick L
PL
Schumock
Glen T
GT
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D040541:Marketing; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States