Wake Up Walmart has a new study out today about Walmart's $4 prescription drug program. The study reveals that Walmart has been buying generic drugs from a disreputable Indian company that has been investigated by the FDA and DOJ, and had drugs banned from coming in to the United States and Canada. This is important not just because Walmart could be endangering its customers with shoddy medicines, but also because Walmart is pushing hard to be known as a leader on health Care. We all know that Walmart is no leader on health care, but this is just one more hard piece of evidence.
You can read our full report here: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/...
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Our Press Release about the report is below the fold!
June 23, 2009
EXPOSED: Cheap WalMart Rx Drugs Come from Disreputable Supplier
On Health Care, World’s Largest Retailer Fails Again
Washington, DC – A new report from WakeUpWalMart.com today revealed the truth behind WalMart’s much-touted $4 generic prescription drug program. To keep costs low, the report reveals that WalMart uses a generic drug supplier in India that has been investigated for safety reasons by U.S. authorities and has had its products banned by Canada.
At a time when WalMart has offered up its cheap prescription drug program as evidence of its leadership on health care, the plan calls into question WalMart’s commitment to providing quality and affordable health care to its consumers.
At the center of today’s report is drug manufacturer Ranbaxy Laboratories, LTD. Ranbaxy has been repeatedly investigated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for “inadequate” safeguards against contamination, falsification of records and submitting false information to the FDA.
As today’s report details, Walmart imports a variety of generic drugs from Ranbaxy that are used to treat bacterial infections, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, cold sores and acne. Eight months before the FDA cited Ranbaxy for serious violations, WalMart gave the drug supplier an award for being a top performing supplier.
In 2008, the FDA banned importation of drugs manufactured at two of Ranbaxy’s plants, and in 2009, the FDA halted review of applications to import drugs manufactured at the Paonta Sahib plant. Soon thereafter, Canada followed suit and banned importation of drugs manufactured at that facility. Yet Walmart still imports generic drugs made by Ranbaxy at its other Indian facilities.
“WalMart talks a good game on health care, but its rhetoric can’t hide the facts. We’ve known for years that the retailer does not provide affordable coverage for its employees, and we learn today that may be sacrificing the safety of its consumers for the profits of its CEO,” said Meghan Scott, director of WakeUpWalMart.com. “Why is WalMart handing out awards to the same company that the DOJ, FDA and other countries are investigating? WalMart’s customers deserve to know.”
Read today’s report at the following link: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/...
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