Significance

• the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act provides certain exceptions to their policies prohibiting drug importation.textbook drug dispensing image by Keith Frith from Fotolia.com
  
  The federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) details the laws that govern importing and exporting prescription drugs into the United States. These laws exist to protect the consumer and to maintain a closed system of drug distribution. See reference 2: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm179204.htm
  
  

Function

• Buying needed drugs from Canada improved the quality of life for many afflicted patients during the AIDS epidemic.nurse hand with syringe doing injection image by fotosergio from Fotolia.com
  
  The FDA allows consumers to import drugs into the United States under certain circumstances and subject to the discretion of FDA officials or customs agents. A consumer with a serious health condition who cannot obtain a drug domestically may, with his doctor's approval, import an amount intended for personal use.
  
  

Types

• Some states have petitioned Congress to allow pharmacies to sell Canadian drugs because of their low cost.large bill image by CraterValley Photo from Fotolia.com
  
  Federal agents usually define acceptable amounts of drugs meant for personal use as those shipments containing a 90-day supply of medication. Shipments containing quantities of drugs that significantly exceed this amount may suggest commercial motives by the consumer and may compel agents to investigate accordingly.
  
  

Effects

• The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act allows consumers to order a 90-day supply of medication but it must be for personal use and not for re-sale.drugs image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
  
  The policies of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration do not permit importation of foreign versions of American-approved drugs, particularly when commercialization of those versions occurs by re-sale, advertising or other promotional means.