NACDS Lauds Unanimous Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Help Ensure Consumer Safety, Battle Organized Retail Crime

PRESS RELEASE

September 24, 2012

Urges President Obama to Sign Bill into Law

Alexandria, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) today applauded the U.S. Senate for its passage of the “Strengthening and Focusing Enforcement to Deter Organized Stealing and Enhance Safety Act of 2012,” also known as the “SAFE DOSES Act” (H.R. 4223 and S. 1002). The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on September 22, and previously passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 26.

This bipartisan legislation — supported by NACDS - will provide law enforcement with critical tools to break up sophisticated crime rings that harm consumers.

These organized retail crime rings attempt to resell stolen medical products on the black market, including prescription drugs, biologicals, devices and infant formula. Consumers are placed at risk when these stolen products are stored under unsafe conditions or otherwise tampered with, and then sold on the black market, including by illegal Internet drug sellers.

“Community pharmacy considers itself a partner in helping law enforcement curb criminal activities that can compromise consumer safety,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “This legislation empowers law enforcement to combat the serious problem of organized theft of medical products and bring down these illegal operations.”

“We thank the sponsors of the Senate and House versions of this bill - U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) - for their leadership in passing these bills to help keep consumers safe, and urge President Obama to expedite signing this important bill into law.”