NACDS endorses 'The Online Pharmacy Safety Act'

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores on Tuesday expressed support for H.R. 4095, “The Online Pharmacy Safety Act,” which the organization said will help consumers protect themselves against the growing threat of illegitimate online drug sellers.



NACDS sent a letter in support of the bill to its sponsors, Reps. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Mike Ross, D-Ark. 

The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create a public registry of law-abiding online pharmacy websites for consumer use.



“Your legislation takes important steps to protect the American public from unscrupulous Internet drug sellers that prey on unsuspecting Americans by posing as legitimate pharmacies and deceptively selling counterfeit, adulterated or misbranded medicines,” NACDS stated in its letter to the lawmakers.



The legislation “will provide Americans with the means to protect themselves against this growing threat by ensuring they have the resources they need to recognize safe and legitimate online pharmacies,” NACDS stated.  



Research indicates that approximately 17% of Americans — more than 36 million consumers — have purchased medication online without a valid prescription.  Research also shows that up to 96% of the online prescription drug websites that U.S. consumers encounter are these illegitimate sites.



“We thank you for your strong commitment to protecting the health and safety of the American public through this thoughtful bill. As Congress continues to debate issues related to prescription drug safety, distribution and access, we believe that the ‘Online Pharmacy Safety Act’ should be an integral part of that discussion and that its enactment should be a top priority,” NACDS stated in its letter.

NACDS also supports companion bipartisan Senate legislation sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

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