Origin of drugs shouldn’t matter

David Lazarus’ March 30 column (“Is the medicine you depend on made in a place you trust?” Consumer Confidential) suggests that there should be a global tracking system to prevent tragedies such as the recent heparin deaths and allergic reactions.

I agree with your objective, but not with the methodology. I’m not certain if the consumer would know what to do with information on where a drug was actually made.

Quality control must be exercised before any product is distributed in the U.S. market, irrespective of its origin. The manufacturer or distributor should be held highly accountable for any negative consequence. The penalty should be so substantive that not conducting quality control would result in grave consequences.

Mervyn K. Kalman,

Emeritus Associate

Professor of

Clinical Pharmacy

USC School of Pharmacy

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The proposal by David Lazarus merely imposes yet more regulations and raises the cost for medicine even higher.

Given that the country of origin for ingredients may vary from one batch to another, it would be a nightmare to make a new label whenever one of the many ingredients in a drug is obtained from a different source.

We do not need more detailed labeling. What we do need is a better funded and supervised Food and Drug Administration.

John T. Chiu, M.D.

Newport Beach