Viagra and not opioids is the winner of the unpopular drug contest when it comes to international drug smuggling, according to Kaiser Health News (KHN).
Despite evidence to the contrary, the FDA has long defended its efforts to prevent opioids from entering the country by intercepting prescription drug packages delivered through international mail….
…the agency’s own data revealed that confiscated packages did not contain significant amounts of opioids. The FDA said that just 33 packages of opioids and no fentanyl were found in the 53,000 drug shipments its investigators examined in 2022, which amounts to roughly 0.06% of the total packages searched, KHN reported.
Because the FDA has claimed that confiscating these international packages was preventing the import of opioids, pharmaceutical companies have used this claim to lobby against proposals in Washington, D.C., to allow Americans to buy their prescription drugs from countries where those drugs are cheaper, such as Canada.
The FDA often stops prescription drug shipments, even when no opioids are found, because of improper U.S. drug labeling and packaging.
The report noted that of the drugs confiscated by the FDA in 2020, the number one most common item was sildenafil, a generic form of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. Other common medications seized included those for asthma, diabetes, cancer, and HIV.
According to KHN, the FDA has been given millions of dollars to fight the shipment of opioids into the U.S., despite the limited evidence that these drugs are entering the country this way. […]
For decades, millions of Americans seeking to save money have bought drugs from foreign pharmacies, with most sales done online. Although the FDA says people are not allowed to bring prescription drugs into the United States except in rare cases, dozens of cities, county governments, and school districts help their employees buy drugs from abroad. […]
Thanks as always, Servetus. Good catch, though I suspect the spam filter will be busy once the words “Viagra” and “erectile dysfunction” in this post hit the web!
I also appreciate the way you approached the topic with empathy and compassion. Addiction is a complex issue, and it requires a nuanced understanding of the root causes and potential solutions. Your article demonstrated a genuine concern for the well-being of those struggling with addiction, and I think that is commendable.
SPAM!
“Momma’s Lemon Pound Cake–It tastes so nice . . . It made the Sheriff want to put down his gun and cut him a slice.” Thank you, Afroman.
Imagine creating an arrest warrant for a marijuana celebrity–knowing he’d have a decent amount of weed, but not enough to make a fuss or waste it on a bust. Thus creating the warrant for something worse and not finding anything but some buds.
Now the cops are angry that homeboy has found a way to use their faces to make fun of the raid and the drug war.