Drug Industry Front Scares Seniors With Radio Ads

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has condemned a radio scare campaign sponsored by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. "In a bid to defeat legislation that would allow the 'reimportation' of American-made drugs from Canada and Europe, a lobby group calling itself the Seniors Coalition is questioning the safety of Canadian and European prescription drugs," the Toronto Star reports. Reimported drugs are cheaper for seniors to buy. The legislation is part of the $400 billion, 10-year overhaul of the Medicare. "A spokesperson for the Seniors Coalition, Christopher Butler, denied his group is a 'front' for the pharmaceutical industry, but he acknowledged receiving funding from big drug makers. He would not say what proportion of its budget came from the industry," the Star writes.