Canadian pharmacists fear that the diabetes-Ozempic drug situation may repeat itself due to lack of data on prescription management.
Joelle Walker, vice president of public affairs for the Canadian Pharmacists Association, said Americans buying cheap Canadian drugs is nothing new.
But she told regulators that the case of Dr. David Davison, a Texas-based Nova Scotia-licensed physician, prescribed large amounts of Ozempic to a U.S.-based customer through a pharmacy in B.C. A conversation about how “national” Canada can protect its prescription drug supply against such large orders.
The Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons last week issued a temporary suspension of Davison’s license after learning of Davison’s alleged practices from a BC University pharmacist.
Ozempic’s primary use is in the treatment of diabetes, but demand for the drug has surged recently due to so-called off-label use for weight loss exaggerated by social media and celebrity endorsements.
One of the main challenges is the lack of data, so there’s not much of a sense that the US is buying a lot of Canadian prescription drugs, Walker said.
She said the first step is to secure data on Canada’s prescription drug administration so regulators can see where problems lie before they address them.
surge in demand
“For very special cases like Ozempic, it’s pretty straightforward,” says Walker. But “without knowing the number and volume of other drugs sold to Americans online, it is very difficult to come up with appropriate policy solutions.”
The Ozempic issue surfaced after BC officials found that up to 15% of state-prescribed drugs in the first two months of 2023 went to Americans.
BC Health Minister Adrian Dix has announced that the province will restrict access to Ozempic for non-residents.
See | BC Restricts Ozempic Sales to US:
Davison, who graduated from Dalhousie University in 1977, did not respond to a request for comment.
He is registered with the Texas Medical Commission as a Physician at Texas Tech Family Medicine in Odessa. His record shows no complaints other than noting that his Nova Scotia license has been suspended under “non-TMB disciplinary action.”
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, which runs Davison’s clinic, said it had “recently become aware” of “allegations” that Davison may have prescribed Canadian Ozempic to patients in the United States.
“We are investigating this matter and will take appropriate action internally,” the statement said.
The alarm sounded in the loophole
Organizations such as the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the Canadian Institute for Health Policy have warned of loopholes that could ultimately allow Canadian prescription drugs to flow into the United States.
Peter Lowen, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and a pharmacotherapy expert at Vancouver General Hospital, said the price differentials for medicines across U.S. borders, coupled with the free movement of people and goods, are driving the flow of prescription drugs. Regulation is easier said than done.
“Our economies are closely intertwined,” he said. “And this problem is a problem that gets caught up in that.
“It’s the regulatory and trade relationship between the two countries and the fact that so many Canadians, like Americans, move between the two countries. [that] Coming up with what seems like a simple solution is not easy. “
Walker said any discussion of how drugs are prescribed should consider the use of cross-border prescriptions by Canadians when traveling or moving to another province. I got
As such, new policies on the movement of prescription drugs will need to be “prudent” to avoid creating “unnecessary barriers to Canadians’ access to healthcare.”
But the current state of affairs, she said, could provoke panic buying if Canadian consumers were unsure that supplies of medicines were protected.
“We need to ensure that Canada is not seen as the kind of solution that requires American solutions to American problems.”
