BUSH ADMINISTRATION BLOCKS CHEAPER DRUG IMPORTS---BIG SURPRISE

by Mary 26 Replies latest social current

• 

  Mary

  George Dubya and his cronies have slammed the bill that would allow Americans to purchase prescription drugs at a fraction of the astronomical price they are now forced to pay. What a huge surprise eh? The article says:

  "The Bush administration opposes allowing imports of prescription drugs, and the White House had threatened a veto" and "...Overseas, drugs can cost two-thirds less than they do in the United States, where prices for brand-name drugs are among the highest in the world. In many industrialized countries, prices are lower because they are either controlled or partially controlled by government regulation..."

  Ya, exactly. Because the governments of these countries, mine included, put a ceiling on how much the pharmaceutical industry can charge, it helps keep costs under control while still giving them a damn good profit. (my boss is good friends with the man who owns one of the generic drug companies here in Ontario. While the costs are significantly lower than in the States, the company is still worth over a billion dollars.)

  However, George-the-Asshole-Bush doesn't give a rat's ass how the astronomical prices of drugs is gouging the consumer----he's gotta keep the boys at the top happy right? So forget about the 55 year old woman who lives on $1200 a month, and whose prescriptions total over $1400----Georgy Boy doesn't give a shit. Why is he so opposed to the idea of cheaper drugs coming in north of the border? Because "....Allowing imports from those countries would drive down U.S. brand-name drug prices, Dorgan has said...."

  Awwwwww......B-O-O-H-O-O........Golly, that would mean that the pharmaceutical industries wouldn't be able to rip the paying public off quite to the extent that the presently are and wouldn't that be a shame. Nothing like driving the elderly and working poor into the ground just to boost your profits even more eh?

  Well, even though it's unofficial, there are actually several pharmacies in Canada that take pity on the Americans and WILL fill their prescriptions. The woman I mentioned above lives in West Virginia. She and a bus load of other Americans get a bus up to Quebec once a month and get their prescriptions filled. Her cost in Quebec? Just over $300.00.

  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070507/ap_on_go_co/imported_drugs

  The US government should have done something about this years ago. Common sense dictates that if a drug which costs $50.00 in Canada, costs $400.00 in the USA, then health insurance premiums (assuming you're lucky enough to have it) are going to be a hell of a lot higher. If the drugs were cheaper, then the premiums for health insurance would be cheaper. But I guess that would make too much sense eh?

  So who here thinks the States should allow prescription drugs to be imported?
• 

  sammielee24

  Yep...I didn't expect him to do anything else. The companies run this country - when Bush and his friends implemented the change to medicare, it also brought more insurance into the plan and again, it was a hand shake deal for him. There are more people hurting because of his changes than ever before and the majority of those are the poor. I had the chance to listen to CSpan down here and they had an hour long call in on the medicare changes. It could make you cry.

  There wasn't one single call from an elderly or disabled person on medicare that was good as far as his changes. Some people fell through the cracks financially and their drug costs went from nothing to over a thousand a month. Two people were close to crying. It was sad and yet - the mantra continues - the US has THE best health care in the world. NOT. It has the best health care in the world if you have money. Sadly, those who could use the help in the way of cheaper pharmaceuticals won't get it. But wait - he might make a deal for the Canadian oil fields!.....sammieswife.
• 

  Mary

  There wasn't one single call from an elderly or disabled person on medicare that was good as far as his changes. Some people fell through the cracks financially and their drug costs went from nothing to over a thousand a month. Two people were close to crying.

  Truly disgusting. I understand that even those who have health insurance in the States can end up losing everything if the health insurance company decides they're not paying for a certain procedures. Plus there's all kinds of co-payments and deductables. I know one guy in the States who's got health insurance, yet he still has to pay $8,000 out of his own pocket before it kicks in. And for that priviledge, he's paying over $600.00 in insurance premiums. Our health system up here is far from perfect (it's grossly underfunded), but it's still preferable to the American health and drug system.
• 

  Rabbit

  So who here thinks the States should allow prescription drugs to be imported?

  Me !

  I have epilepsy, so no insurance co. will touch me, because of the costs. One of the Rx's I must have cost $450/month, if I don't take it...I start to have seizures within 48 hours, if I have seizures...I cannot drive, cannot work and will then eventually become a Social Security cost to the taxpayers. Yep, welfare. never been there and don't wanna go, even tho' epilepsy is considered a disability.

  How can that possibly be a good thing for my family OR the government ?

  Rabbit
• 

  hambeak

  Mary you are so right on. I had a major heart attack on 4/23/2007 My meds I now have to take are 400.00 per month not covered by Insurance as I cannot afford it.

  Yet illegals in this country get it all for free.
• 

  BFD

  So who here thinks the States should allow prescription drugs to be imported?

  Absolutely! All the crap you mentioned has been going on for years and was sort of a talking point in the last US Presidential election. Corruption is rampant and the FDA si no more than a fox guarding a hen house with the drug companies in thier pockets! It's about time now for Universal Health Care in the good ole USA. Until that happens how dare Washington restrict the free market. It gauls me.

  Thanks, Mary

  BFD
• 

  Mary

  I had a major heart attack on 4/23/2007 My meds I now have to take are 400.00 per month not covered by Insurance as I cannot afford it.

  OMG Hambeak that's awful!! That's only a couple of weeks ago.......How are you feeling now?

  Yet illegals in this country get it all for free.

  WTF?? Are you serious?

  Rabbit said: I have epilepsy, so no insurance co. will touch me, because of the costs. One of the Rx's I must have cost $450/month, if I don't take it...I start to have seizures within 48 hours, if I have seizures...

  Can you order the Medication on-line from a Canadian pharmacy?
• 

  5go

  Can you order the Medication on-line from a Canadian pharmacy?

  That is illegal in the US and tuff to do canada isn't to happy with the american taking their meds.

  We need to fix our system before it gets back to the way it was in 1920's with seniors living on the streets.
• 

  SWALKER

  Isn't it great the way the FDA protects us from harmful ingredients from other countries?

  - Forbes: FDA admits that
  

  "The potential threat to human health from contaminated pet food has now widened to include chickens, with U.S. health officials announcing that melamine-tainted pet product made its way into poultry feed at 38 Indiana farms."

  The agencies also warned that "as the investigation continues, additional farms will likely be identified that received contaminated feed."

  And then, as monkeys flew out their asses, they said that the threat to humans who ate the chicken and pork is low."

  (The government won't even let the American public know which meat is contaminated!!! We might as well be living in a Communist country!)

  I think I'd rather purchase my prescips from Canada!!!!!!!

  Swalker
• 

  Highlander

  Can you order the Medication on-line from a Canadian pharmacy?

  That is illegal in the US and tuff to do canada isn't to happy with the american taking their meds.

  We need to fix our system before it gets back to the way it was in 1920's with seniors living on the streets.

  Is it actually illegal and difficult to order prescription meds on the internet? I'm not familiar with many of the meds out there that people require, but I've been ordering my meds online

  for many years. I always order from companies outside of the US such as taiwan, india, canada, etc.

  I do admit it has been a few months since my last order but what I order does require a prescription, which they also provide online(the online prescription is kind of a joke)

  Obviously there is a risk I'm taking when I order meds from places I've never been to. The only reason I know that the meds are good is because they have the same side effects

  as the brand name meds I've taken here in the states.

  To answer your question though, yes the US healthcare system is a f$cking joke and it needs to be scrapped for something better. I'm self employed and make a decent living wage

  but I can't afford any health insurance. I'm waiting for my wife to get full time status at her job so that she can get benefits for both of us. But that can only last so long if she

  were to get pregnant and then we'd be back to square one again.

  I've already decided that if I or my wife were to require surgery, we would do a vacation surgery in her country of origin,,, There we can pay cash or charge any medical operations

  that we may need. That is how messed up it is here in the states. I have personally met people that have had medical procedures done overseas in India. It's getting to be

  a common thing for US citizens to do nowadays.