So what do beef and prescription drugs have in common? They can both enter the US through Canada. Byron Dorgan, a Democratic senator from North Dakota, supports importing only one. Can you guess which it is?

Okay, here’s the answer: Dorgan thinks importing beef from Canada is a bad idea. In fact, as Adam Fein of Drug Channels points out, Dorgan has been urging the White House for three years to implement COOL, or country of origin labeling. Just the other day, he issued a press release saying this:

“Consumers have the right to know where their meat is coming from, and to make their own decision - fully informed decisions - about whether they want to be putting beef from Canada on their dinner table, under the current circumstances. It is clear that Canada has a continuing problem with Mad Cow Disease, and American families have a right to know whether their beef is coming from Canada.”

At the same time, Dorgan is the senator who pushed the failed amendment to allow drug imports from Canada and elsewhere. To ease the economic squeeze some Americans feel after paying for their meds, Dorgan has been arguing that importing drugs is a worthwhile fix: “I believe part of the solution is to allow American consumers to purchase more affordable FDA-approved prescription drugs that are available in Canada and other countries.”

The FDA says it can’t guarantee imported drugs are safe and effective, which is probably true. The agency has a hard time making that guarantee about drugs under review, so why should inspections be any different? Of course, this doesn’t mean imported drugs are automatically dangerous either. To some, in fact, the counterfeit threat is an industry scare tactic. There may be some truth to it, but the shrill warnings can also undermine the message.

As for Dorgan, this is all a matter of convenience. He doesn’t want his ranchers to face competition or his seniors to complain about being unable to afford their meds. Never mind that both North-of-the-Border products face scrutiny for similar reasons. That’s why Dorgan didn’t push country of origin labeling idea for drugs. Dorgan may have lost the importation debate, but any political strategist will tell you that he certainly had a ‘COOL’ idea to further his career.

Further reading….

May 3, 2007 press release about beef imports;
March 7, 2007 press release about importing drugs.

Hat tip to Drug Channels for pointing this out, and for doing so with verve.
[tags]Byron Dorgan, Counterfeit Drugs, Reimportation[/tags]