John P Matthew on Writing, Book Reviews, and the Writing Life!

Subcommittee on Health, Committee on Energy and Commerce:

"The vast majority of the shipments were identified as containing prescription drugs, which by definition have a degree of toxicity and/or risk associated with them such that they are not safe for use except under the supervision of a licensed health care practitioner (Title 21, U.S.C. section 353(b)). We believe that very few foreign Internet sellers require a prescription from a practitioner licensed in the U.S. before dispensing drugs to U.S. residents. Moreover, after detention notices were issued to the intended recipients of the 721 drug shipments, fewer than four percent responded with evidence of prescriptions or that a physician would provide oversight of the use of the drugs purchased from abroad. "