Move to prevent compounding drugs in the USA

A friend sent me informationa about legislation that is being drafted
that would prevent drugs from being compounded in the USA. I thought
it appropriate to post here as cancer patients I have known were kept
comfortable by using drugs compounded by a licensed pharmacist.
Hospice makes extensive use of these compounded drugs. Some were
compounded into a suppository form when the pill form would have
caused vomiting. Some of the medications contained an anti-nausea
component, but they could not be tolerated orally.

Apparently Congress wants us to take only medications supplied by the
mega drug companies & reduce pharemacists to merely counting them out
- that is some editorial from me.

This site has a prepared letter you can send electronically & it will
help you locate your legislators & send it to them. You can alter the
form letter & it's more effective if you do.

Here's the site & I'll post my friend's email below & the letter I
sent below that for anyone who is extra-interested.

www.womensinternational.com
Fig


My Friend's email:

Most of you know that I'm taking a medication called guaifenesin.. It
is a medication that's been in use since the 1850s. It has no side
effects but it keeps me from being in constant pain. I started taking
this in 8/2000. This August I'll be celebrating my 7th year on this
medication and my 3 yr without significant pain. In 2003 the FDA
allowed one drug maker to change this medication by changing the size
and shape of the pill, add a blue dye and make part of it fast acting
and part of it sustained (slower) acting... and the drug went from 8
cents a pill to 45 cents. I discovered after a year of taking this
medication that my pain was coming back...it wasn't working as well as
the old version (which the FDA made the other companies stop producing
- thus creating a monoply). Now there is legislation in Congress to
prevent me from getting the compounded version I've got an Rx
for...which has been working well for me.

Please take time to read this message below and take action to help me
and the millions of other Americans who do better on a compounded
version of any drugs. There is not rational reason to enact such a
bill. The only reason for this bill is to allow some drug companies
to make even more money. Is money the only motive that these people
care about? Please do what you can, write to you representatives and
senators in Washington on my behalf. Please pass this on to all your
other contacts and ask them to do the same. Before it's too late. Do
not doom me and millions of other Americans to constant pain.

I recently received a news flyer from Women's International Pharmacy
regarding the fact that "Senators Kennedy, Burr and Roberts have
drafted
(the so-called Drug Compounding Act of 2007) that would severely
restrict
and possibly deny your access to critical compounded medications. It
states,
in part, "If this legislation passes, federal regulators (not your
health care
practioner) will decide what medication you can use."

"What would this legislation mean for the future? This draft
legislation
would override current state regulation of pharmacies and give federal
bureaucrats
broad authority to limit compounded medication prescribed for patients
such
as BHRT, and would create onerous, new regulations for healthcare
prescribers
and pharmacists." (Not to mention possibly eliminating our ability to
acquire
compounded Guai.) It goes on to say, "Millions of Americans have
critical
medical needs that are unmet by one-size-fits-all drug company
products.

For them, compounded medications, prescribed by medical practitioners
and
prepared by licensed, trained pharmacists, are often their best and
only
treatment option. Do you want the federal government denying your
access
to necessary medication?"

"WHAT CAN YOU DO? Write your U.S. Senators and Congressperson now!

Time is of the essence? Congress could act very soon!" - "HOW DO I
SUBMIT

MY COMMENTS: To make it easy, Women's International Pharmacy has

provided a web link at: www.womensinternational.com

to assist you to identify your U.S. Senators and Congressperson and
to submit your comments. Please note that your comments are most
effective by submitting an email form that shares your personal
experiences with BHRT (and/or other compounded medications) and states
the positive impact it has had on your quality of life."- (Obviously,
those of us on the Guaifenesin protocol have lots to say to them as
well!)

Here's hoping we're not too late.


And here's the letter I sent:

I know that as a US Legislator you are committed to protecting the
public. As a result, I hope that you share my concerns about the

draft Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007 that may soon be introduced by
Senators Edward Kennedy, Richard Burr and Pat Roberts.

I have personally used a compounding pharmacy for my HRT (hormone
replacement therapy) during menopause. This was a great choice for me
even though I had to pay for it myself outside of my prescription drug
plan. I needed a milder formulation than the available pre-formulated
types.

We also had drugs compounded for my husband & for a close friend when
they were in the later stages of cancer. Compounding allowed them to
receive drugs in suppository form that they just threw up in pill
form. Some contained anti-nausea components.

I don't think you want to live with the knowledge that because of
government legislation, your or someone else's loved one died while
puking up their guts because the humane drug was not available to
them. Sorry if that's too graphic, but believe me, being there was
even worse until they obtained the properly compounded medicines.

I also have a friend taking guaifenesin. Due to other governmental
legislation, the only form it is now available in - containing a time
release component, no longer works for her. The original formula
can no longer be produced & compounding provides the only drug, a much
simpler version, that works for her pain. So why should we allow
legislation to prevent her from living a pain-free life?

As your constituent, I strongly urge you to oppose this legislation
and would appreciate hearing your position on this draft legislation.