Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (Extensions of Remarks - August 03, 2007)

* Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Kingston amendment.

* I understand the arguments in favor of importation, but I don't believe that the remedy to solve these problems is to open up our Nation's pharmaceutical supply and distribution system to potentially counterfeit drugs.

* Now is simply not the time to open U.S. borders to counterfeit prescription medicines. A new report by the Center for Medicines in the Public Interest scheduled to be released September 30, 2007, projects counterfeit drug sales to reach $75 billion in 2010, a shocking 92 percent increase from 2005.

* According to Peter Pitts, senior fellow for health care studies at the Pacific Research Institute and Director of the Center for Medicines in the Public Interest, ``The business of selling fake prescription drugs to unsuspecting consumers is burgeoning, and is a global industry. This underground industry represents a major public health risk for citizens of the world.''

* The new report estimates counterfeit drug sales will grow 13 percent annually through 2010, compared to just 7.5 percent estimated annual growth for global pharmaceutical commerce.

* This amendment is a first step towards opening wide the doors at our borders to drug imports--and thus to counterfeit and adulterated medicines that will jeopardize Americans' health and safety.

* We should not compromise the public's faith in the quality and safety of our Nation's pharmaceuticals by opening our borders, dramatically increasing the availability of counterfeit medicines.

* Mr. Chairman, I urge strong support for this motion.

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