HDMA SUPPORTS HOUSE EFFORTS TO COMBAT ILLEGAL ONLINE SALES OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES

Arlington, VA – June 25, 2008 – The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) commends Representatives Bart Stupak (D-MI), Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) for introducing bipartisan legislation (H.R. 6353) to combat illegal online sales of prescription medicines.

"HDMA believes that prescription medicines should only be dispensed by legal, licensed pharmacies to patients with legitimate medical needs,” said Scott Melville, HDMA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. “HDMA members have a zero tolerance for criminal activity at any point in the healthcare supply chain, and we applaud this legislation for addressing a critical issue that affects millions of patients each day. We need to combat this illegal Internet activity, which has the potential to put patient lives at risk. HDMA’s primary healthcare distributor members are committed to this bipartisan legislation, and we pledge to work toward its enactment this year.”

"For many years, HDMA has been a strong supporter of supply chain safety and security efforts, and we work each day with manufacturers, pharmacies, legislators, regulators and law enforcement to continuously monitor, enhance and improve security measures in place today," continued Melville. “Make no mistake, the criminals running rogue, illegitimate Internet pharmacies must be stopped and punished accordingly for their crimes.”

H.R. 6353 is companion legislation to the Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (S. 980), introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL). HDMA formally endorsed this legislation in March of this year.

About HDMA
The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is the national association representing primary, full-service healthcare distributors. Each day, the member companies of HDMA are responsible for ensuring that more than 13 million prescription medicines and healthcare products are safely delivered to 144,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics, government and other providers in all 50 states. This essential public health function is provided with tremendous efficiency, saving the nation’s healthcare system nearly $34 billion each year. HDMA and its members are the vital link in the healthcare system, working daily to provide value, remove costs and develop innovative solutions to deliver care safely and effectively.