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Search Terms: internet w/10 prescription, House or Senate or Joint

Document 45 of 60.

JULY 30, 1999, FRIDAY

SECTION: IN THE NEWS

LENGTH: 677 words

HEADLINE: PREPARED TESTIMONY OF
MS. KATHY EGAN
NBC10/WCAU PHILADELPHIA
BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE
OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT - ON-LINE PHARMACIES

BODY:

Note: This is a scanned document.
Thank you, Congressman Klink, and members of the subcommittee, for allowing me to appear today. We were asked to share what our NBC 10 investigation uncovered. Most of us know the Internet has the potential for great things. It can educate, make life easier, and be a great tool to exchange ideas. But our NBC10 investigation also revealed, it can allow people access to dangerous prescription drugs when they shouldn't be able to get them.
Our 2-month investigation shows the Internet has become the 1990's version of the wild, Wild West. Anything goes! You can find a website that will sell you almost anything. Last year, the Internet economy generated an estimated 301.4 Billion dollars in U.S. revenue. according to a University of Texas study. Many people, today, turn to the Internet like they used to turn to their Mom and Pop corner store as the place to buy things. One study says an estimated 56 percent of U.S. companies will sell their products on-line by the year 2000. With consumers spending more on drugs per year than they do on books, CDs, and videos combined, it's easy to see why prescription drug websites are growing in popularity.
We had absolutely no problem, finding website after website, after website that would sell us a virtual candy store of powerful prescription drugs like Viagra and Prozac. Worse yet, many of these sites required very little pre-screening, if any, to weed out people who don't need the drugs. In many cases, the most crucial information you need to give is your credit card number.
In researching and producing our story, it was difficult to discern WHO is actually regulating these internet drug companies. We called the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, other national pharmacy groups, and the state boards of pharmacy in our tri-state area. Since we also purchased a controlled substance, we called the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Virtually every agency we talked said they were interested in the problem but referred us to another agency or group. What's more, one government official told us NO agency is up to speed on this problem.
As you know this isn't an issue to be taken lightly. More and more people are gaining access to the Internet. In fact, one published estimate says 7 new people get on the Internet every second. To give you an idea that means in the time it takes me to testify nearly 2,000 people have become Internet subscribers for the first time. What's more, the group that's most Internet savvy is the younger generation, our children. They know how to surf the net, where the sites are, and how to work the system.
To give you an example: Recently in a Philadelphia suburb, teens from Conestoga High School were hospitalized after ingesting a drug ingredient purchased on the Internet. The drug, dextro-meth-orphan, is the ingredient that stops the cough in cough syrups. This shows how children can get access to dangerous drugs and drug ingredients.
In our NBC 10 report, we showed even a 7-year-old buying a prescription diet drug that wasn't approved yet in the United States. No questions asked. We'll show you that in a moment. But we also want to tell you what kind of responses we got when we confronted some of the internet drug companies. One company squarely put the burden on the consumer, saying people need to educate themselves on the medication they're taking. Another company just flat out denied they sold prescription drugs to us, and we found this company didn't have a license to sell in the U-S.
In summary, some experts we've spoken to say Internet companies selling prescription drugs are light years ahead of the regulatory agencies. And they fear if something isn't done soon, Americans may overdose, improperly use, or suffer drug interactions that could injure or even kill them.
Thank you again for the opportunity to speak to you today. Let's go ahead now and show you an excerpt of our NBC10 investigation.
END

LOAD-DATE: August 4, 1999

Document 45 of 60.


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