List of "Safe" Canadian Pharmacies Stirs New Controversy

Efforts by US community pharmacygroups to discourage cross-border salesof prescription drugs from Canadabecame more complicated with therelease of a controversial new "SafeList" that purports to identify trustworthyInternet suppliers of cheap Canadiandrugs.

In announcing the new list, officialsof the Canadian International PharmacyAssociation (CIPA) said that seniorsand other US consumers can now buyprescription drugs on-line without fearbecause the pharmacies on the listhave been verified as "legitimate."

According to the officials, for eachon-line pharmacy listed, the group verifiesthe site's provincial pharmacylicense and "ensures that it complieswith rigorous quality standards."

CIPA is a Winnipeg-based mailorderpharmacy group. The officialssaid that they compiled the "Safe List"because US "consumers needed a crediblemethod to distinguish betweenlegitimate and dubious on-line pharmacies"—a chore that "no US agency,including the FDA," has agreed toundertake.