CHPA Responds to New Findings on the Effectiveness of Oregon's Prescription Requirement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today released the following statement regarding a new study by the Oregon-based Cascade Policy Institute that examined the effectiveness of Oregon's prescription requirement for safe and effective medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE)—such as Advil Cold & Sinus, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Mucinex D, and Sudafed—which took effect in 2006. The study was conducted by Bates White, an economic consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., and funded by a grant provided by CHPA.

Key Findings of the Cascade Policy Institute Study

• According to Oregon law enforcement officials— despite a decline in methamphetamine lab incidents— the drug remains the state's greatest drug threat.
• Meth lab incidents in Oregon declined more than 90 percent between 2004-2011. The greatest period of decline, however, came before 2006—the year the prescription requirement was signed into law.
• Six neighboring states experienced similar declines in meth incidents, despite the fact that those states do not have a prescription mandate.

"Cascade's findings are significant because a number of states around the country are looking to Oregon to decide whether their prescription mandate model is worth replicating," said Scott Melville , president and CEO, CHPA. "This study shows that in addition to increased costs for individuals, lost productivity for businesses and restricted access to popular and reliable cold and allergy medicines, prescription requirements do not effectively reduce methamphetamine's overall impact on a given state."

www.chpa-info.org

SOURCE Consumer Healthcare Products Association

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