Why is Bush denying us the choice to purchase prescription drugs from Canada? Is it for our safety?

Question

Or for pharm profit margins?

I would not purchase drugs from Canadian Internet companies such as "We Cheat Them and How".

Walgreens equivalents in Canada are not unsafe or they would have been prosecuted and shut down by the Canadian government

Answer 1

Safety is a common talking point since it is easier to say in a 60 second sound bite, and there may be some validity to it, but the real reason is assurance that new drugs will be here in the future.

One common criticism is that drugs cost very little to make and yet cost a lot of money. This is part true and part false. An individual pill costs very little but the costs to develop drugs--including failed drugs--are very high. New drugs would never be developed unless drug companies could count on making a profit--which is only generated by a limited time monopoly right (a patent).

Canada (which also is less generous in patent protection) uses its single national healthcare system to push drug companies into charging considerably lower prices--even lower than what is economically efficient. Drug companies are willing to sell to Canada at much cheaper prices because they can still make a profit on individual pills. HOWEVER, if the same prices were charged in the US, drugs would never be developed. Companies rely on the profits that can be generated in the U.S. market to cover their development costs.

This is why many companies give breaks to the poor and to developing countries. Even though it would not be profitable to sell to everyone at that price, they still make a profit pill-per-pill--looking interested in humanitarian needs at the same time. But if they had to offer drugs to everyone at that low price, the incentive to create the drug in the first place is gone.

The good thing is, eventually the patent runs out and prices come down significantly when generics can copy the original developer at low cost and compete. So, in the short run, importation may look like a good thing--giving everyone quick access to cheap drugs. But in the long run, development of new drugs comes at a snails pace if at all.

btw...i'm a democrat, but the republicans are clearly in the right on this one.

Answer 2

I am with you on this one. Pharmaceutical companies have alot of politicians in their pocket. from both parties.
The USA pays the bulk of the 'cost' of research and development for new pharmaceuticals. If someone didn't pay the costs alot of new vaccinations and pills wouldn't get developed. Socialized medicine countries get the low cost prices and the USA gets the bill for the rest.

If we are allowed to buy in Canada ( I remember when Claritin D was not an OTC and was 45% cheaper in Canada and 50% cheaper in Mexico. and besides that in the USA you needed a prescription where you didnt anywehre else.

If citizens can go buy there then thats a loss i.. well it amounts to what you said.

I think that it will happen that it will be allowed eventually and what will happen then is pharmaceutical companies will raise Canadian prices and lower them in the USA a little bit, making it still cheaper in Canada but not enough cheaper that its worth the effort. Which of course may be an issue for Canada but I would bet it would happen.

My brother is a pharmacist and we have dicussed this alot. Interesting little web of intrigue actually if you really get into whats up with pharmaceuticals.

Answer 3

Because if the drug companies did not make money in the US, they would not be able to make a profit on drugs that cost $1 billion or more to make.

The Canada market is tiny, the drug companies dont need them, so they give the drugs to them cheap to shut them up.

In the US profits must be made so they can use that money to come up with new medical breakthroughs.

But they are giving drugs away for FREE to people who need but cant afford it.

Answer 4

Matthew 12:9-12 says  After departing from that place he went into their synagogue;  and, look! a man with a withered hand! So they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?” that they might get an accusation against him.  He said to them: “Who will be the man among YOU that has one sheep and, if this falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not get hold of it and lift it out?  All considered, of how much more worth is a man than a sheep! In my opinion after reading this scripture, I believe your friends or whomever these people are who are giving you a ride are missing the big picture. Following the Sabbath should be done on a Saturday anyway. Saturday is the Sabbath not Sunday. But even then. You are more important then strictly following the sabbath to your detrement.

Answer 5

Why would you associate a such a long standing law with a the current president? First off, that law has been in effect decades. Secondly, presidents don't make laws. That is done by the legislature.

As for the substance of your question, I am sure U.S. drug manufacturers lobbied in support of that law. So you might reasonably conclude that at least part of the support for the law was motivated by economics.

Answer 6

Knowing that money motivates Bush more than actually safety or concern for the world id say it is for pharm profit margins.

This is America, we can choose who we buy medicine from.
Someone has to tell Bush we are in a form of democracy, not aristocracy,

Answer 7

Big Pharma made heavy contributions to his campaigns.

Safety? The drugs in Canada are made by the same companies we buy them from. No difference.

Isn't it the height of hypocrisy that cons would talk about a "free world market" whereby American companies have goods made in China and American jobs get "outsourced," but that same "free market" doesn't seem to apply to seniors wanting to purchase cheaper drugs?

How is that?

Answer 8

Definately because of the Pharm profit margins.

I worked for years as a healthcare administrator and I had to get out of it, it's a dirty rotten business. Insurance companies look for ways not to cover your claim believe me I know.

Answer 9

The reason that was given was safety but if that was really a concern they would be passing legislation to prevent us from buying food from China instead of trying to get more of our food produced there. Giving a few hundred thousand to re-election campaigns can go a long ways in this country.

Answer 10

lol. Where do you think Canada gets it's drugs from? There is something very wrong in the "greatest country in the world" when the elderly have to bus it to Canada for cheaper drugs made in America. I agree with Melissa K.