Remarks as prepared; not a transcript

Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H, FACS
United States Surgeon General
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Thank you all for being here. I am Dr. Richard Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General.

I would like to welcome you to the second listening session of the Task Force on Drug Importation. Today we will hear from representatives to discuss pharmaceutical development and distribution.

As you know, the safety and efficacy questions related to importing prescription drugs into our country are very important to public health.

Secretary Thompson formed this task force to explore whether and how drug importation might be conducted safely and its potential impact on the health of American patients, medical costs, and the development of new medicines.

Together, this task force and the stakeholders we are consulting will research and explore whether prescription drug importation can be done safely and effectively. And if so, what resources are needed. Our mission, outlined in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, is to determine whether there is a safe structure for prescription drug importation.

I was again reassured this week that we have the full support of the White House and the Secretary to take any steps necessary to fulfill that mission.

Our first listening session, on March 19, was with consumer and advocacy groups. Those presenters offered useful background and suggestions, and I thank them not only for their thoughtful presentations, but also for their responses to our follow-up questions.

As I did at our first session, I want to promise all of the presenters today and in the future listening sessions, the opportunity to be heard. I expect this process to be completely transparent, with frank, open, and honest discussion about the health implications of drug importation. I expect that diverse ideas will be presented, and I ask everyone to be respectful of that diversity.

This task force is first and foremost about the facts and the science. And we will go as far as the facts and the science lead us. I thank everyone, in advance, for keeping this in mind.

These listening sessions will be conducted in an organized manner, in an effort to produce the best information possible. Each presenter will have up to 5 minutes for opening remarks. After all presenters on a panel have concluded their statements, the task force members may follow up with some questions.

I ask each presenter to be mindful of the 5-minute limit for presentations so that we can ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to be heard. In addition, the task force will welcome all written and supporting materials that parties would like to submit.

Those materials, along with the transcript of each listening session, will be available to the public.