ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is hailing the Senate’s approval of a bipartisan bill aimed at battling organized retail crime and bolstering consumer safety.
NACDS said Monday that the Senate has passed 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 House of Representatives approved the legislation in late June.
Endorsed by NACDS, the measure will provide law enforcement with tools to break up sophisticated crime rings that harm consumers. The association said these retail crime rings try to sell stolen medical products — including prescription drugs, biologicals, devices and infant formula — on the black market.
"Community pharmacy considers itself a partner in helping law enforcement curb criminal activities that can compromise consumer safety," NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement. "This legislation empowers law enforcement to combat the serious problem of organized theft of medical products and bring down these illegal operations."
NACDS noted that consumers are put at risk when these stolen products are stored under unsafe conditions or are tampered with and then sold on the black market, including by illegal Internet drug sellers.
"We thank the sponsors of the Senate and House versions of this bill — Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R., Wis.) — for their leadership in passing these bills to help keep consumers safe and urge President Obama to expedite signing this important bill into law," Anderson added.
