Fiction: Terrorists may Tamper with Prescription Drugs from Canada
Acting U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester Crawford said possible action by terrorists is the most serious of his concerns about the increasing efforts of states and cities to import drugs from Canada to save money.
Fortunately for all of us, the threat of terrorists tampering with Canadian drugs exists only in the mind of Mr. Crawford. It is not based on any facts or evidence whatsoever. Let's take a closer look at this latest piece of fiction from the once-proud FDA.
According to an article published in the Guardian on August 12th, 2004:
"Cues from chatter" gathered around the world are raising concerns that terrorists might try to attack the domestic food and drug supply, particularly illegally imported prescription drugs, acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester M. Crawford says.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Crawford said Wednesday that he had been briefed about al-Qaida plans uncovered during recent arrests and raids, but declined further comment about any possible threats.
On the same day that the article was published, the U.S. Homeland Security Department contradicted Crawford's statement by saying it has received "no specific information" of such a threat:
"While we must assume that such a threat exists generally, we have no specific information now about any al-Qaida threats to our food or drug supply."
David MacKay, Executive Director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, said that Mr. Crawford's suggestion is absurd:
"This is just one more piece of rhetoric. It is a classic scare tactic that comes from the (FDA). They seem to be running out of objections and this seems to be the last card they're willing to play."
It seems that the "cues from chatter" gathered around the world were nothing more than cues from the chatter inside Mr. Crawford's head.
While Mr. Crawford is entitled to his fantasies, Canada Drug Talk is deeply saddened and concerned that the acting commissioner of the FDA would resort to such tactics in a naked attempt to protect the profits of US drug companies. It is truly a sad state of affairs when a government body sworn to protect consumers betrays everyone's trust by spreading baseless allegations and using fear as a weapon against senior citizens trying to lower rising drug costs by importing prescription drugs from Canada.
References:
Drug Terrorism Absurd: Internet Group - Deemed a Desperate USFDA Scare Tactic (Source: The Winnipeg Sun / August 13th, 2004)
FDA Warns of Terrorist Drug Tampering (Source: The Guardian / August 12th, 2004)
Bush’s FDA Chief Seeks to Panic America - Warnings of Terrorist Drug Tampering (Source: OpEdNews.com / August 12th, 2004)
