Re "Prescription for trouble," editorial, March 25
It is misguided to compare importation legislation -- which would allow foreign drugs that are not subject to review by the Food and Drug Administration to enter the U.S. -- with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from foreign sources that are under the jurisdiction of the FDA and subject to intensive scrutiny. Brand-name pharmaceutical companies are required to take many steps to ensure the quality of APIs -- such as conducting their own inspections of API suppliers and testing samples of incoming ingredients -- to comply with the FDA's strict regulatory standards, protect patient safety and help prevent adulterated APIs from entering our drug supply.
