More Shop For Drugs In Canada

Sacramento Bee ^ | February 15, 2004 | Lisa Rapaport

[Scenic Sounds]

Gloria Goes did what she calls "some simple Canada math" to fix one of her biggest medical problems - how to spend less money filling her medicine cabinet.

It's been nearly three years since a newspaper ad for The Canadian Drugstore first caught her eye. At the time, Goes, now 73, was taking a regimen of expensive brand name drugs that included Pravachol to keep her cholesterol in check; Allegra and Flonase for allergies; plus Singulair and Maxair for asthma.

[Scenic Sounds]

But federal authorities have not offered evidence that any American patients have been harmed by drugs purchased in Canada.

Is the danger to consumers or to American pharmaceutical companies?

[Chris Talk]

Mexico is even better.

And far more people are near THAT border!

Floridians could consider Bimini or the Bahamas.

[Cathryn Crawford]

You know, what it boils down to is this: If Canadian drugs are cheaper, people will buy them in Canada. There's been nothing credible to show that people are harmed by Canadian drugs, and that's probably the only thing that would stop people from buying them there.

[DustyMoment]

The hype that the US government is creating about Canadian drugs is just that - HYPE! Canada gets its drugs from the same pharmaceutical companies that the US gets their overpriced drugs from. The biggest difference is that the pharmaceutical companies have purchased the power of the political system in the US and with Canada's socialized healthcare system, they haven't.

The FDA, which Bush has called into play to diss the Canada drugs, doesn't have a sterling record when it comes to determining what drugs are safe and what drugs aren't. We have used prescription meds from Canada with perfect safety and, in some cases, better results than the same meds from American pharmaceuticals.

The long and the short of this argument (to me) is that just because something doesn't come from America doesn't make it bad. We buy Japanese and European manufactured cars, don't we?

[fleur-de-lis]

The actual reality is that price controls (as in Canada) never really work as advertised. If we institute price controls on drugs in the US, then drug company profits are limited or eliminated. This will limit new drug research and drug trials. At $300M to $500M per new major drug introduction, that's a problem that cannot be ignored!

Price Controls = Less Profits = Fewer New Drugs

Then Congress in its infinite wisdom will have a reason to take over all drug research. I can hardly wait.

Are the drug companys completely innocent? Probably not. But, I do not want the same folks I see at the DMV taking over drug research.

[robertpaulsen]

The pharmaceuticals are selling AIDS drugs to Africa at a fraction of the cost to a US citizen. Should Americans be allowed to purchase the AIDS drugs for the same price that Africans pay?

Could there be a very good reason why the pharmaceuticals charge the Africans so little? Could there not also be a very good reason why the pharmaceuticals charge the Canadians less?

Or don't you care?

[robertpaulsen]

"Canada gets its drugs from the same pharmaceutical companies that the US gets their overpriced drugs from."

Not true. Canadian drug manufacturing companies get the formula and a license to produce X number of pills per year. The FDA does not oversee the quality of the chemicals used, the accuracy of the formula as manufactured, the testing of the final product, etc.

[DustyMoment]

Even if that's so, the FDA has not proven itself to be the most reliable agency overseeing either drug quality or safety. We have seen too many drug-related deaths caused by drugs that were fully tested and approved by the FDA. Drugs from foreign pharmaceuticals have NOT been proven unsafe or of lesser quality than those from American pharmaceuticals.

I tend to agree that Bush is trying to protect the American pharmaceutical industry and their high prices by blocking drugs from other countries. There is not a comprehensive program in this country to provide drugs on a comparable cost basis as those from countries such as Canada that subsidize their cost.

[robertpaulsen]

"There is not a comprehensive program in this country to provide drugs on a comparable cost basis"

And you blame the pharmaceuticals? You want comparable?

Well then, let's remove FDA approval - that costs money. Next, get rid of OSHA requirements on US manufacturing - that costs money. Union wages? - forget it! Right to sue? You can't sue Canadian drug manufacturers - that costs US pharmaceuticals a bunch of money. Remove all taxes from drugs - you don't pay taxes on Canadian drugs.

Now we have a level playing field -- now it's "comparable".

And the pharmaceuticals had nothing to do with it.

[DustyMoment]

Works for me!!