Gilbert Gutknecht: “I think the whole issue of reimportation will begin to force that issue. The question we are really asking today is how…”

“I think the whole issue of reimportation will begin to force that issue. The question we are really asking today is how safe is safe. What is the FDA protecting us from? In their effort to make us absolutely safe from any imported drug that is clearly legal in the United States, and to keep us safe from drugs that have already been approved in other parts of the world, they are putting roadblocks in the way, and in many cases are costing American lives and not improving their health. I think the question we have to ask as policymakers is how safe is safe enough. As I mentioned earlier, we import 500,000 tons of pork every year. You can get sick and die from bad pork, and yet 500,000 tons is imported every year with very little inspection by the Food and Drug Administration. I think we have to be honest with ourselves. Even with all of the time and research that goes on, some people are going to have an adverse reaction to some drugs. That is just absolutely going to happen. Some people are going to take a drug, and they are going to get well. Some other people may get sick, and some might die from taking that drug. There were some studies that came out on Premarin and Prempro. They are female hormone drugs. They come from horses. We have known about them for literally years and years.”