Should We Be Able To Order Cheap Drugs From Canada?
from the government-supported-monopolies dept
As even local governments are starting to look to Canada to help people get the prescription drugs they need at a price they can afford, the federal government is stepping in to say "that's wrong". They don't give a very good reason, but they've come out with a statement saying that local governments that order cheaper drugs from Canada over the internet may be breaking the law. The best rationale they can come up with is that it says to people that it's okay to order drugs over the internet - which they're afraid is a health risk. Admittedly, there are plenty of online drug ordering scams - but if they can be shown to be legitimate, how can it be wrong to let people order drugs that cost a fraction of the price they would cost in the US? Isn't that what competition is supposed to be about?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
THIS was the straw?
Free Trade is an attempt to set up a commons with Canada and Mexico, pooling labour and other resources like Fish, Wood, Metals and Crops. In truth we have soft-wood and wheat tariffs, ridiculous work-visa regulations that stun any US resident and the spectacular raping of the cod/salmon stocks with NAFTA the baseball bat.
NAFTA is mostly a mistake, those parts that are not already being contravened for the detriment of smaller member countries. Dissolve it and let us all know how things REALLY stand.
This drug problem will be 'solved' by US tariffs again, just like the US tariff on steel, lumber, wheat and some base metals. The US people do NOT have a choice, a freedom to buy at lower prices, and there is no possible competition in there areas, but stillthe US populace has this fantasy that trade is free between countries.
The smuggling of cigarettes in the Thousand Islands is greater 'free trade' than NAFTA already.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
This will wind up being a question of who has more say in DC , The consumer or the Companies. I'd bet on the companies seeing how the countries being run by a bunch of republicans right now.
What ever happened to the health care reform act ? Was it just that,,,, an act ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Want to pay for my Mom's Medical costs ?
The ironic part is she is a nurse and is well aware of what goes on in this country in regards to medical coverage.
By ordering from Canda & even with shipping she is currently paying approximately $ 275.00 monthly. I'm glad she is technically literate and has found an alternative that allows my parents to save $ 8,700.00 a year, hopefully so they can retire and not attempt to live on " Social Security "
Until our contry institues AFFORDABLE medical coverage for everyone, I don't care where she gets her medications.
Anyone willing to send me $ 12,000 grand to keep her healthy is most welcome to.
And I gladly circumvent my states unbelieveably high cigarette prices by ordering them from Indian territories.
Capitalism lives !
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
I have no doubt that developing a drug and testing it costs absolute mountains of money. So where do they make the money back, as well as make the profit they probably deserve? Lets consider an american drug company. Its a safe bet we're usually talking about an american drug company. Since selling a drug in numerous foreign contries is probably a horrendious pain in the ass they probably set the consumers price in america as if its the only country in the world, to recoup their development costs and make some profit.
Eventually, once the hurdles of selling in a foreign market are jumped they probably have to worry less about the profit margin in other countries so they can sell cheaper, and probably have to if that foriegn country isnt as wealthy as america. Dont forget the cost of making the drug is probably very low.
Lets make a quick comparison. Lets say Adobe develops a new photoshop. Once they sell a bunch of copies to richer countries they might decide to sell it to china for 50 bucks a copy. How dare they sell it for so much here, I want the china price, they are obviously very greedy for charging me so much!!! Well consider that dumping it on china for 50 bucks is 50 bucks profit for nothing, since all they had to do was burn another cd. I suspect its more complicated, but similar, in the drug business.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
The drug pricing is the same way. We here in USA are willing (actually pretty much Have to) pay the higher prices. Third world countries can't pay that much so the companies find a happy medium where they'll make lesser profit but still be able to sale their product. In poorer countries, the drugs are regulated to death like they are in the US so you can actually acquire cheaper knock offs though at that point you are taking a huge chance. But the point must be made here, if you can't afford a drug you need at the higher price, you'll buy what you hope is an equivalent at the lower price.
The case where US citizens are basically buying back drugs from Canada where they get them at a cheaper price and therefore can sell them at a cheaper price presents an interesting conumdrum for the companies so they are trying to get the Government to enact law help them continue 'business as usual'.
Stand by for 'creative' legal writs.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
If drug companies we're making as much profit as microsoft makes I'd have a problem, its about 10x for windows I believe, but otherwise, who am I to say what drug should cost what?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Myopic Canadian Politicians
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Some facts - don't know all
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
jobs: offshore is great; our products:: don't you
Hypocrites!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: jobs: offshore is great; our products:: don't
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ivfflOb5WC
NfBb75k
2QvZy
U0ylR7pWhtc
3YyzucsqB By1bRfipO1H NHq15eK44a nVST7kC5LW5HG8u uVMyId3IPL CqvTozPC GJdG8L7CXBjpQhYz
pZdluuCgtO
3ZYJw
X8iWcml
CM8E8zvo
ar2PR
EIUB3Nq
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
pQPuF48oDA
0v1xRK
p3PZhWTzbQ
OGmXjT
g7B0dseqD g7yVLVyWD K5M0rP3u Q0c231iveCxgtIU6KTh LQUym1MDuL 5BHsQ R7ZlLKGfXI8iR88F
Iilyce75p3
2DGasvC
DTeBDnn0
nK5wZses8my
m9e9zTp
qJqwA98
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
9yPGc5E0Cm
Fjq0z
UueIFyU
AUmmKgSNQCL
1zf0HwfP2J uYFSVj PEBHL I17kHMXglIsDL cY00DN Em2ncMH R5T3a3lbWK9lyyH
2tUY802Iu
c0fb3zNke1Q
30NBU
lBektyEfLN
L7dtKJX
t0XHGa0
[ link to this | view in chronology ]