Canadians seek ban on U.S. drug shopping

avahsmiles · Oct 27, 2004

What can do a coalition against the feeling of a nation.
Moreover, why other countries can not recieve medecines from Canada and USA? Politic questions?
Are other free countries like USA?
Alanpe

:confused:

erShocker · Oct 28, 2004

I know of people who bought meds in mexico. Went there to buy the meds. Doctor visit - $50, Meds from phamacy $250 (1100 in the states), value of meds tested $0. Blood pressure meds were flour and sugar pressed andHCTZ not only did not reduce fluids but caused constipation! (see blood pressure meds failure -a-oh). More dangerouse as there is no controls

Maybe Kerry can get us drugs from Mexico, France, Germany, or Russia. He has so many friends overseas.

erShocker · Oct 28, 2004

I know of people who bought meds in mexico. Went there to buy the meds. Doctor visit - $50, Meds from phamacy $250 (1100 in the states), value of meds tested $0. Blood pressure meds were flour and sugar pressed andHCTZ not only did not reduce fluids but caused constipation! (see blood pressure meds failure -a-oh). More dangerouse as there is no controls

Maybe Kerry can get us drugs from Mexico, France, Germany, or Russia. He has so many friends overseas.

SusanJean · Oct 28, 2004

I would like to address and correct some of the misinformation in previous posts.

First of all, I am apolitical. Secondly, I have worked in the pharm. industry for 12 yrs, mostly in management, so know about this topic. I do have strong opinions.

The drug companies sell to countries at what the countries will pay. Drugs are cheaper in Canada because Canada refuses to pay more for the drugs -- there is a cap on what they will pay. USA does not put any cap on drugs and we pay and pay! (I ran out of a drug while I was in India. A refill cost me .02 per pill for what was 1.00 per pill in USA.)

There is such a strong pharm industry lobby in the USA that there is no stopping it! The industry has gotten the government to make it illegal for US citizens to go to Canada to obtain pharm products (tho not enforced). How?? Certain companies told the Canadian government that they would not supply drugs to Canada if they sold to Americans. I don't think the Canadian Gov. capitulated, but the lobby in the USA pushed for the change and now it is hotly debated.

Kerry would not buy the drugs from Canada, he would make it legal for people to obtain them from there. The drugs are cheaper because there is not a corrupt government and strong pharm lobby in Canada.

I could go on and on and on. I would be glad to, if some one wants more info. At this point, tho, I will stop. I would like to add, that, after a very successful career in an industry that was very generous to me, I recognized the greed and corruption and finally walked away from a 6 figure income --

SusanJean · Oct 28, 2004

I would like to address and correct some of the misinformation in previous posts.

First of all, I am apolitical. Secondly, I have worked in the pharm. industry for 12 yrs, mostly in management, so know about this topic. I do have strong opinions.

The drug companies sell to countries at what the countries will pay. Drugs are cheaper in Canada because Canada refuses to pay more for the drugs -- there is a cap on what they will pay. USA does not put any cap on drugs and we pay and pay! (I ran out of a drug while I was in India. A refill cost me .02 per pill for what was 1.00 per pill in USA.)

There is such a strong pharm industry lobby in the USA that there is no stopping it! The industry has gotten the government to make it illegal for US citizens to go to Canada to obtain pharm products (tho not enforced). How?? Certain companies told the Canadian government that they would not supply drugs to Canada if they sold to Americans. I don't think the Canadian Gov. capitulated, but the lobby in the USA pushed for the change and now it is hotly debated.

Kerry would not buy the drugs from Canada, he would make it legal for people to obtain them from there. The drugs are cheaper because there is not a corrupt government and strong pharm lobby in Canada.

I could go on and on and on. I would be glad to, if some one wants more info. At this point, tho, I will stop. I would like to add, that, after a very successful career in an industry that was very generous to me, I recognized the greed and corruption and finally walked away from a 6 figure income --

okie2 · Oct 29, 2004

Well put SusanJean!! Thank You!!!

nurse_pam · Nov 1, 2004

I would like to address and correct some of the misinformation in previous posts.
First of all, I am apolitical. Secondly, I have worked in the pharm. industry for 12 yrs, mostly in management, so know about this topic. I do have strong opinions.
The drug companies sell to countries at what the countries will pay. Drugs are cheaper in Canada because Canada refuses to pay more for the drugs -- there is a cap on what they will pay. USA does not put any cap on drugs and we pay and pay! (I ran out of a drug while I was in India. A refill cost me .02 per pill for what was 1.00 per pill in USA.)
There is such a strong pharm industry lobby in the USA that there is no stopping it! The industry has gotten the government to make it illegal for US citizens to go to Canada to obtain pharm products (tho not enforced). How?? Certain companies told the Canadian government that they would not supply drugs to Canada if they sold to Americans. I don't think the Canadian Gov. capitulated, but the lobby in the USA pushed for the change and now it is hotly debated.
Kerry would not buy the drugs from Canada, he would make it legal for people to obtain them from there. The drugs are cheaper because there is not a corrupt government and strong pharm lobby in Canada.
I could go on and on and on. I would be glad to, if some one wants more info. At this point, tho, I will stop. I would like to add, that, after a very successful career in an industry that was very generous to me, I recognized the greed and corruption and finally walked away from a 6 figure income --

Very well stated susan! Being Canadian, and being an RN I see how much our own people pay for prescription medications! It's outrageous! I can't believe that the same medication in the U.S. is even more--I thought it would've been the other way around. I have no problem with Americans buying Canadian drugs if that is the only option available to them. Seniors must find it terribly difficult to cope with those prices. Sometimes money takes front seat to common sense and decent morals and values. Hope it changes someday.

madore57 · Nov 1, 2004

Very well stated susan! QUOTE]
I also agree. It's amazing how this 'misinformation' is perpetuated. As for the people who want to keep Canadian meds out of the US - guess they won't be using the millions of extra vials of flu vaccine Canada produced this year so nobody in Canada would go without a vaccine and is willing to sell to the US. Or how about the thousands of people crossing the border to get their vaccines this year? I guess we shouldn't have ever taught the US about insulin when it was first discovered in Canada ect. ect.
As for Mexico, I have also bought meds in Mexico when I lived in Texas and I paid about the same as the writer but my meds were real. I heard Bush on TV too when he said meds from Mexico weren't 'real'. Consider the source...
Eilleen.

SusanJean · Nov 2, 2004

Very well stated susan! QUOTE]
As for Mexico, I have also bought meds in Mexico when I lived in Texas and I paid about the same as the writer but my meds were real. I heard Bush on TV too when he said meds from Mexico weren't 'real'. Consider the source...
Eilleen.

Yes, you just have to make sure the retailer is reputable...the products in Canada come from the same manufacturing plants (not the vaccine) as the USA. (And Bush tries to make them sound so unsafe -- LOL.)
There are counterfit pills/meds in every country, including USA. Anyone remember in KC (I believee) where the pharmacist was diluting cancer chemotherapy to make more money?? Sending out saline and/or minimal concentration drugs?
BTW, but the time our FDA "inspects" the Canadian plant for the vaccine's safety (I mean, how "at risk" are those poor Canadians:uhoh3: ) the timely delivery of the vaccine will be past our peak for vaccination (end of November) and even then it will only dent (1.4 mill) our need 30 mill.
But THANK YOU CANADA!!
BTW, do you guys need nurses up there?? Vets?? Don't mind the rural life:chuckle
SJ

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2004

Is there really honestly a chance of a drug shortage in Canada? Are Americans buying Canadian drugs driving up the price for Canadians through the laws of supply and demand? I would think that Canadians would be happy for the business.

However, one thing I strongly agree with. It is a problem and it's an American problem to solve. It's insane that American drug companies are charging Canadians one price and Americans another. But don't get me started. :)

SusanJean · Nov 2, 2004

Is there really honestly a chance of a drug shortage in Canada? Are Americans buying Canadian drugs driving up the price for Canadians through the laws of supply and demand? I would think that Canadians would be happy for the business.
However, one thing I strongly agree with. It is a problem and it's an American problem to solve. It's insane that American drug companies are charging Canadians one price and Americans another. But don't get me started. :)

The only way that there could be a shortage is if the few companies that have threatened to cut off drugs to Canada (if Canada sells to Americans) follow through. Off the top of my head, Zeneca is one. In Canada, supply and demand is not the issue since Canada has a formula for what can be charged by the Pharm. co. -- don't know it, but it allows for the co to make a fair profit on a non-generic drug.

In USA, there is no price cap, thus pharm co can charge whatever they want, so if you have no ins., you pay full price. If you have insurance, your company negotiates a deal (probably) and you pay a percentage or higher copay for new drug.

Pharm. industry says they need money to pay for more research. BUT... more money goes into marketing. And the marketing they are focusing on is DTC.. direct to consumer -- those nice little ads on tv and in magazines. They are so effective (people ask for and get the high priced drugs) that up to 75% of the industry's marketing budget goes to DTC advertising now.

There is so little innovative new drug out there -- everything is a "me too"

another drug for OA or hypertension or another nsaid or reflux. All high priced, all advertised, all have cheaper alternatives.

OK, let me step off my soap box.

SJ

alanpe · Nov 2, 2004

You said:

"I see how much our own people pay for prescription medications!"

I think that you are right and people must be free ( not prescriptions) to decide what medications will get; to pay for prescrisptions sounds not good; it would be better a good information for people to decide one which drug get.

Of course:) people must be free to decide where and how get drugs too.

alanpe