Does it make sense to buy back drugs from a country at a cheaper price when they are made in our own country?

Question

I am independent on my poitical views. Why would the Dems (or anyone) try to pass a bill that would have US citizens buy from a foreign country, life-saving drugs, that were manufactured here, at a cheaper price. What is stopping us from buying the drugs from the pharmacy? Maybe there should be companies that are funded to buy and distribute the drugs to the citizens. It seems to me that would help a small percentage of the unemployed and help fuel small businesses, at the same time when businesses are functioning it could be an avenue in the future for a pressure point on the drug companies. Not enabling them to price the drugs in this country at such a high price. Just a thought!

Answer 1

if the makers of the prescription drugs would let them be sold here in the USA for what canada sells them for then there would be no need to buy them from across the border, but the companies just like gouging the American public

Answer 2

What is happening is they price the medications at the prices they can get in each country they sell them in. A lot of the elderly pay hundreds of dollars a month for medications they NEED - they are not optional. Medicare doesn't do much in that department, and they are left with their fixed income going for their meds, and to keep a roof over their heads. It is a crime to charge such an amount for medications.

An example is a medication that I am on - I am 32 years old, and I take Wellbutron for depression. The GENERIC form of this medication costs me $101.00 per month (thank God I have prescription insurance!). If I don't take this medication, I become depressed to the point of non functioning. But one can go to Canada and buy that EXACT same medication for a great savings. Why is that?

Now, this medication isn't the only prescription I take. I am also on a generic form of prozac (33.99) and birth control pills (41.00 - not covered by prescription insurance; go figure). My husband takes Nexium (no generic form) - so that is a huge cost. Our daughter takes Miralax. So if we didn't have prescription insurance, we would be paying over $300.00 per month.

I think that there should be some sort of cap set on what can be charged for prescriptions if someone doesn't have prescription insurance, or they are covering the total cost of the medication out of their own pocket. I also think it should be looked at if the medication is needed or not. I don't think it is fair that a drug company can make huge profits from a medication simply due to it being sold in the United States. I am sure it isn't cheap for the research and production of the drugs, but wouldn't it make more sense to price the items at a lower price, allowing more people to use the medication?

I think something needs to be done. When insurances won't cover medications that are needed due to the cost of them, there is something wrong in making people pay for them out of their own pocket - especially when they are on a fixed income and still have to pay their other bills, pay their rent, and put gas into their cars (which itself is ridiculous now days).

Answer 3

You need the wholesaler for drug sales. No pharmacy could afford to have all the prescriptions.
When you buy a new drug, you are not only paying for its research and development, but for 999 other drugs which did not make it.
Current laws make it illegal for non-manufacturers to import drugs.
The only groups which can buy from the drug manufacturers are wholesalers, certain pharmacies, and Department of Defense.
The government does do massive negoitations with Pharma for the VA. The one thing you have to understand is that their formulary is extremely small. It is less than half the size of most Medicare Part D formularies. Pharma will give you the cheap price, but you have to guarantee no competition.
Doing that for Medicare Part D doesn't make sense because it uses community pharmacies as its focus, and not dedicated pharmacies like in the VA.
In other countries, the government pays for most of your healthcare.

Answer 4

I agree completely, I've had much experience with the messed up health care system,

why not get your Rx, then get your drugs from the Pharmaceutical company direct,
cut out the middle man,

I think anything that cuts out the middle man is good. Why deal with so many businesses?

Answer 5

foreign countries have gov. funded automatic drug discounts...

so... they are cheaper in other places, because their government picks up part of the bill...and negotiates more with drug companies...

the U.S. government refuses to negotiate, for the most part... and doesn't fund anything partially, giving the full cost to the consumer, in most situations (folks on medicaid and medicare being an exception)