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Recently, the importation of prescription drugs from Canada has become quite popular. Americans have realized that Canadian drugs are substantially cheaper than those sold in the US and many have taken advantage of the savings. But such conduct is illegal under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Wisconsin’s pharmacy law. Under the FD&C Act, the interstate shipment of any prescription drug that lacks required FDA approval is illegal. The FDA only allows prescription drugs to be imported in special circumstances, such as the product is not available in the US or the product is not considered to represent an unreasonable risk.
In addition to the legal issues, the FDA is also greatly concerned about the potential health risks associated with imported drugs. Because the medications are not approved for sale in the US, they may not have been manufactured under proper quality assurance procedures. There is also the risk of counterfeit potential or presence of untested or dangerous substances. Some medications are unsafe when taken without adequate medical supervision. If patients order drugs over the internet or through a foreign source, they may be at risk for complications due to unsupervised use. Medications from other countries may have labeling in a different language. This will make it difficult to understand the instructions for use and possible side effects. An imported drug may also lack information that is needed to take the medication properly.
Canadian drugs may be obtained through the internet, driving across the border, or most recently through a Florida-based agency. Canada Drug Service, one of the chain stores that have opened across the US to help residents purchase prescription drugs from Canada, recently opened a store in Wauwatosa, WI. Due to legal and safety issues, the first steps have been taken to close the operation of storefront and internet sites promoting the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. A federal district court judge ruled to close more than 80 locations of the business in 26 states, saying the firm “openly and notoriously” violated the law by encouraging and enabling US customers to import drugs from Canada. Governor Jim Doyle has looked into purchasing Canadian prescription drugs for state employees in order to decrease the costs to the state group health plans. But federal laws need to be clarified before this could occur and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin has emphasized the need to respect current laws and the safety of the US distribution process. Canadian pharmacy regulators asked their government last week to temporarily ban the sale of prescription drugs to Americans, saying that the practice is causing shortages for Canadians and overburdening the nation’s pharmacy system.
The government and pharmacy organizations appreciate the fact that prescription medications are very expensive and many US citizens cannot afford their needed drugs. Organizations are exploring methods to address differential pricing of pharmaceuticals worldwide. Programs such as a Discount Drug Card and Funded Drug Benefit may be in place in the near future to help with drug costs. When deciding where to purchase your drugs, just remember that importing prescription drugs from other countries is illegal and unsafe.
Pet overpopulation is a big problem and a concern for dog owners. Castration is the most common and one of the most ancient ways of controlling pet populations. Now dog owners and veterinarians have an option to the traditional surgical method. Neutersol® (zinc gluconate neutralized by arginine) is an injectable solution indicated for chemical sterilization in 3 to 10 month old male dogs. The drug is administered as one injection per testicle and the dose corresponds to testicular width. Neutersol® only needs to be administered once, is permanent/irreversible, safe, and >99% effective. The drug produces its effects by causing aspermia (no semen ejaculated), azoospermia (no sperm in ejaculate), necrospermia (sperm in ejaculate are motionless/dead), or oligospermia (less than 20 million sperm/ml). In the majority of the dogs in the field study, aspermia or azoospermia occurred. Neutersol® also reduces testosterone levels by an average range of 41-52%. As with surgical castration, secondary male characteristics may still be displayed.
Neutersol® is safe for the dog. It is less invasive than surgery and no general anesthetic is required, although a dog may need to be sedated in order to provide the level of restraint needed to properly inject Neutersol®. It is injected using a very fine needle to reduce the discomfort for the dog. 97.7% of dogs in the field study did not vocalize upon insertion of the needle. Neutersol® is also more convenient than surgery for the dog owner. The procedure may be performed on an outpatient basis, there are no sutures to remove, and it takes a fraction of the time of surgery.
As with any drug, side effects may occur. Mild, transient swelling of the testes is expected. Other side effects are uncommon: scrotal pain when testes were palpated (6.3%), neutrophilia (6.3%), scrotal ulceration (0.4%), anorexia (4.1%), diarrhea (1.9%), and lethargy (2.2%). Be sure to discuss possible side effects your veterinarian and ask for the Neutersol® client information sheet.
