Rx Depot drops legal fight to help Americans buy drugs from Canada

Friday, August 20th 2004, 2:13 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Rx Depot, a company that helped customers buy cheaper prescription drugs in Canada, gave up its legal battle Friday to reopen its storefronts that were ordered closed last year by a federal judge.

The Tulsa, Okla.-based company violated a law that allows only manufacturers to bring their drugs into the United States, U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan ruled. The judge acted at the request of the Food and Drug Administration.

The company, which operated in 25 states, faxed prescriptions and patients' medical histories to pharmacies in Canada, which then sent the drugs directly to patients.

Rx Depot had been appealing Eagan's order. It was unclear why the company dropped the appeal and agreed to a consent decree that makes the judge's order permanent.

Lawyers for the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.