US on-line pharmacy law ratified, domain register delisted 1,300 Rx web sites in 2007

The Ryan Haight On-line Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (H6353) has been ratified by President George W Bush soon after being approved in both chambers of Congress. The Senate version of the law, the Coleman-Feinstein Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (S 980), had been carried unanimously in April, while companion legislation in the House of Representatives (H 6353) was finally approved at the end of September.

The new law is named after Ryan Haight, a teenager who died of an overdose after purchasing prescription painkillers on-line. The Senate Bill was sponsored by Senators Norm Coleman (Republican, Minnesota) and Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California), while the House version was promoted by Reps Bart Stupak (Democrat, Michigan) and Lois Capps (Democrat, California).

The Drug Enforcement Administration welcomed passage of the Act, with the federal agency's Acting Administrator, Michele Leonhart, stating that "this landmark piece of legislation will bring rogue pharmacy operators out of the shadows by establishing a clear standard for legitimate on-line pharmaceutical sales. The legislation will allow customers to know they are doing business with a trusted, legitimate pharmacy, and give law enforcement the tools we need to identify illegitimate on-line pharmacies."