Posted by Sandy Donchess on January 23, 2003 at 09:57:40:
In Reply to: Glaxo eases threat -- for now -- posted by Sandy Donchess on January 21, 2003 at 15:00:01:
Dear Sandra Donchess:
Thank you for contacting GlaxoSmithKline freetext.
GlaxoSmithKline Canada is committed to adhering to strong ethical standards that help to ensure their products are provided to patients in the safest, most effective way possible. They firmly believe that cross-border sales of their
medications via the Internet and direct export to patients who live outside Canada is not in the best interest of those patients. It also presents a potentially serious problem in terms of the supply of medicines to Canadians.
It is important to note that Health Canada's approval of these medicines does not make their use lawful in the United States. Labeling and regulatory requirements can differ between Canada and the U.S., and cross-border traffic presents risks like substandard storage and transportation conditions, and
heightened potential for counterfeiting. And it is a term and condition of the sale of Canadian-approved products that they cannot be exported outside Canada.
Medications should be prescribed and monitored by a physician with ongoing continuity of care and proximity to the patient. This is likely to be difficult or impossible if a pharmacy dispenses a drug upon the prescription of a doctor who lives in a different country than the patient.
GlaxoSmithKline Canada has found that a number of pharmacies are selling their products for export outside the country through the Internet or direct export, and are now in communication with them to cease exportation. GSK Canada will
stop providing their products to those pharmacies, and to the wholesalers who distribute products to them, if they continue selling to other countries.
GlaxoSmithKline offers two patient assistance programs to provide help to those patients who qualify for enrollment. Please contact our Customer Response Center at the phone number below to determine if one of our programs is appropriate for the patient.
We appreciate the opportunity to serve you. If you have further questions concerning GlaxoSmithKline or our products, please contact our Customer Response Center at 1-888-825-5249 during our normal business hours, Monday through Friday
8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. (Eastern Time).
Sincerely,
Anne
Customer Response Representative
Customer Response Center