US Pharma and BIO appeal Alameda Ordinance on drug disposal

The counsel for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), joined by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA), participated in oral arguments in the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in appeal of the district court ruling in favor of Alameda County's Safe Drug Disposal ordinance.

This requires pharmaceutical companies to bear the full burden of designing, funding and operating a collection program in the county for unused medicines in the home.

"Today's oral arguments offered an important opportunity to educate stakeholders within Alameda County and all of California about the unnecessary and burdensome impacts that will result if this proposed take back program is allowed to stand. This proposed approach is impractical, inefficient and reflects an attempt on the part of the county to directly, significantly, and unconstitutionally regulate companies whose connection with Alameda is nothing more than having introduced federally-approved products into interstate commerce,” stated the GPhA in a website posting.