Gov. Jim Doyle launched an expanded Web site Wednesday allowing Wisconsin residents to safely purchase prescription drugs at affordable prices from Canadian pharmacies, against the urging of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Wisconsin, following in the footsteps of Minnesota, is the second state to make an agreement with Canadian online pharmacies.
\The federal government hasn't stepped in to try to help citizens across the country with high prices of prescription drugs, but Wisconsin has taken this step to put this Web site up and get it running so that these consumers have the opportunity to get lower prices for prescriptions,"" said Doyle's spokesperson Jessica Erickson.
The Web site includes links to three Canadian mail order pharmacies, which were chosen through a long process of inspection by officials from Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Savings offered through the Canadian pharmacies are limited to maintenance drugs and do not include refrigerated drugs, due to health considerations when shipping.
""The state has taken significant steps to make the site as safe as possible,"" Doyle said in a statement.
Savings on many popular name brand drugs range from 14 to 53 percent for residents.
Although advocates of the program such as Doyle and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty view this as an exemplary option for consumers, the FDA views this as illegal activity and questions the Canadian pharmacies.
""You assist those who put profits before patients' health,"" said William K. Hubbard, associate commissioner for policy and planning for the FDA, in a letter sent to Pawlenty.
According to the FDA, Pawlenty's task force is aware of significant problems of buying prescription drugs online as well as dozens of safety problems noted upon inspection of listed pharmacies.
Hubbard said it is concerning if a Web site cannot ensure the safety of foreign imports, adding the FDA urged Pawlenty to work with the federal government to implement safer strategies to lower drug prices.
""We can do better than simply giving Minnesotans a foreign fax number and wishing them luck,"" Hubbard said.
Though residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota may be receiving lower cost prescriptions, the FDA urges consumers to be careful.
""There are very good reasons why Health Canada, (Our [FDA] counterpart across the border) continues to state that they cannot and will not guarantee the safety of drugs exported across the border through Internet pharmacies,"" Hubbard said.
