NEWS: Canada May Seal U.S. Rx Drug Pipeline

Canada may shut down the prescription drug pipeline to the United States. Calling the trade unethical, Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh is pressing for a shutdown. He further says that as sales increase, there is a danger that the drugs would not be available to Canadians. David MacKay, head of the pro-export Canadian International Pharmacists Association has pointed a finger at President Bush, saying that he is putting pressure on the Canadian government to stop the imports.



As long as the drugs are safe, there is no reason why Americans should not be allowed to purchase them for the best price available. More to the point, having been in a HMO or a medical plan all my life, I cannot understand why those with insurance are not in one themselves. Prescriptions costs are reasonable and easily attained. Those without insurance no doubt though can and should benefit greatly from cheaper drugs.

Fred,

The drugs from Canada are safe. How can they NOT be? They're either made in the USA, or made in other countries which import them to US!!!
We buy them from those same countries Canada buys from.
All the same.

It is the United States, however, who sticks its citizens with the highest price which is supposed to be paying for the research of these drugs, which other countries DO NOT HAVE TO PAY.

Shut it down.
Americans reform your own government, people are getting tired of you guys sucking the resources of other countries. If you keep buying our drugs, our own citizens could be affected and that is not acceptable. Enough said.

Originally posted by valkeryie
Shut it down.

Americans reform your own government, people are getting tired of you guys sucking the resources of other countries.

Maybe we should stick the R&D costs on ya and see what happens to the prices? Not to mention that you may have forgotten while spewing your anti U.S. rhetoric, the trade is worth around 700 million dollars to Canadian pharmacies. Thats not exactly chump change eh?

As I stated in a post shortly after Bush's visit, this little plan seems to be payback for Bush agreeing to open the doors to Canadian beef. With the recent mad cow case, we will see if the doors slam shut again, and if they do, I predict the prescription closure bill will collect dust.

I am wondering if this is some sort of conspracy by US Drug companies?
It is obvious they would not want Canadians selling more drugs for cheaper prices when they can get more money from US Pharmacies.

It makes no sense for Canada to outlaw the sales of drugs to US citizens. Keep in mind the more drugs they sell only means more profits for Canadian Pharmacies. There has to be more to this issue then we are being told by the media.

The US government is probably blackmailing them. You sell drugs to Americans, YOU HELP PAY FOR R & D.

There is little doubt that the U.S. drug companies are pushing for this. And yes they do pay for a lot of research into new drugs. But that is just an excuse for the prices they charge. They are also granged 35 year or more patents. I feel they really screwed up selling the drugs to other countries for less then they charge hear. This has to be stoped some thing. Write your representives and get them to allow leagal importing by the health care profeshionals in adation to individuals. Sooner or later we have got to give a little shaft back at the drug companies.

This isn't a Canadian problem. It is a US problem. The reason it is cheaper for Americans to purchase their drugs from Canada than it is for them to purchase them in the US is because the US pharmaceutical companies sell the drugs to Canadian pharmacies and the Canadian pharmacies sell them back. Canada is the middle man. However, Canadian pharmacies don't mark up as much as American companies so....the drugs are cheaper. If the US pharmacies weren't so greedy the middle man would disappear on its own.

Lukefj

[edit on 7-1-2005 by Lukefj]

Research and Development is a dam joke. Do some research into it and you will find most new drugs are made by scientist receiving government grants. Then the pharmaceutical companies snatch it up. It is time to clean out government of the crooks like GW that take pharmaceutical pac money and then give them this huge payback. That�s #ing immoral not selling drugs to Americans.

Seeing as I work for a MAJOR drug manufacturing company I can say first hand that the extra money that Americans spend on their medication does not goto R&D. In fact R&D accounts for very little of the overall price of drugs. Most of the cost of medications is advertising and packaging. The amount of money that drug companies spend on Government "donations" and Lobbying is the cause of the higher prices that Americans are paying for medication. This sure sucks doesn't it? I have almost as much family living in the USA as I do in Canada. Maybe its time that Americans decide what is important to them and start to vote accordingly. It�s your country you decide what you want it to be! It is not immoral to not sell to America. We have our own medical system that WE pay for and that doesn't need to be eroded by your poorly run country. The fact of the matter is our drug system was setup to service our country and will eventually become overwhelmed if it has to support yours as well.

[edit on 7-1-2005 by Veebomb_Canada]

Why in the heck is free trade (NAFTA) a good thing for corporations, but a bad thing for American people buying drugs? Because an American citizen can't afford to buy a legislator.
.

I would be amazed if CAN shuts down something that is so profitable, this is north america after all....

Originally posted by Veebomb_Canada We have our own medical system that WE pay for and that doesn't need to be eroded by your poorly run country. The fact of the matter is our drug system was setup to service our country and will eventually become overwhelmed if it has to support yours as well.

its nothing to do with government, just elderly people who spend more on drugs than they make, they arent greedy, they just need to save money to be able to eat and pay bills.

how does buying from your companies overwhelm your system? if we buy more, you earn more and can pay for yourself and us too with it, manufacturing depends on money, not population so we're supporting what we buy, your not making your companies extra money are you? the customers are, your point is flawed.

[edit on 7-1-2005 by namehere]