TORONTO, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Groups representing 10 million Canadian patients, seniors and pharmacists are meeting in Toronto on Monday, October 18, 2004 to release a call for immediate action to stop Cross-Border Internet Pharmacy and the exportation of drugs from Canada to the U.S.
“Earlier this week, the Minister of Health said in the House of Commons that the safety of Canadians and adequate supply of drugs is not in jeopardy ‘at this time’. We strongly disagree. We’ve seen plenty of warning signs in the system that point to a potential crisis. Surely the government should be acting to prevent a health care disaster rather than waiting for one to unfold,” said Louise Binder, Chair of the Canadian Treatment Action Council (CTAC).
WHO The meeting is being jointly hosted by the Best Medicines Coalition (BMC), CARP - Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus, the Canadian Treatment Action Council (CTAC) and the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA). WHAT News conference with patients/consumers, seniors and pharmacists calling for immediate action from the Federal/Provincial/ Territorial governments WHY To release a call for immediate action and set of recommendations to stop Cross-Border Internet Pharmacy and the exportation of drugs from Canada to the U.S. WHEN Monday, October 18, 2004 News Conference with Panel Presentation 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. WHERE CARP National Office, 27 Queen Street East, Suite 1304, Toronto, ON
Speakers include: Lillian Morgenthau, President, CARP, Louise Binder, Chair, CTAC, Dr. Jeff Poston, Executive Director, CPhA, Chuck Cruden, Manitoba Society of Seniors and Denis Morrice, President, The Arthritis Society.
Groups endorsing the call to action include: Canadian Treatment Action Council, CARP - Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Best Medicines Coalition, The Arthritis Society, Canadian Breast Cancer Network, Arthritis Consumer Experts, Canadian Hepatitis C Network, HepCURE, Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Consumer Advocare Network, Manitoba Society of Seniors, Coalition of Manitoba Pharmacy, Yellowhead Tribal Council (representing five First Nations groups in Alberta).
Best Medicines Coalition
CONTACT: To register to attend or to arrange interviews, please contact:Jane Hamilton at: (905) 337-2606, cell: (905) 466-2070 orinfo@bestmedicines.ca