How come the US pays more than Canada for their medication?

[Quotealex]

Usually it's the other way around!

[BoyAlley]

When the Republicans passed their Medicare Prescription drug plan, they put in a provision that forbids the federal government from negotiating better pricing with the drug companies.

Yes, you read that right.

So, drug companies charge whatever they want, and the government can't negotiate better pricing based on bulk buys.

But hey, Republican's aren't for big business at the expense of the little guy, HONEST!

They also made it illegal to import said drugs from other countries that have lower pricing due to government regulation (like Canada).

Basically, drugs are more expensive here because the pharmaceutical companies donate a lot of money to Republican Campaigns.

Lobby groups are teh sucks.

[Pleasurepays]

stick around.... more retarded answers coming and mostly, they will end with brilliant, simplistic, "explain all" answers like "blah blah blah...republicans"!

you hate people that you feel hate you. that doesn't make you a better person... or mean you are on the higher moral ground. hate is hate. its ugly no matter why its happening or where its coming from.

[phasic]

B/c every product in the US is name brand and those companies have to pay off their huge ass advertising budgets. Generic is always cheaper.

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

stick around.... more retarded answers coming and mostly, they will end with brilliant, simplistic, "explain all" answers like "blah blah blah...republicans"!

you hate people that you feel hate you. that doesn't make you a better person... or mean you are on the higher moral ground. hate is hate. its ugly no matter why its happening or where its coming from.

Can you argue one point he made? Is it not true that those companies donate a lot of money to Republicans and that the laws passed by Republicans on the issue seem to heavily favor those companies?

[GrouchyAdmin]

Because, for one, they get away with it. For two, our money's worth more, despite our enormous debt.

[uno]

It's easy. Canada is more socialist while america is more capitalist. It doesn't cause me any confusion, only frustration.

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo

Can you argue one point he made? Is it not true that those companies donate a lot of money to Republicans and that the laws passed by Republicans on the issue seem to heavily favor those companies?

are you really so naive to think that drug companies are just donating money to republicans and in spite of all the dark forces working against them, those poor little innocent democrats, the last remaining champions of truth, freedom and justice are working so hard to undo these wrongs committed by the other side?

check the voting records on any issue and you will answer your own questions. do it with any degree of honesty and it only takes a few minutes to realize that both sides are almost always equally at fault.

i am not defending either side. republicans are accused of being greedy old men who only care about money. democrats are accused of being spineless communist pussies. the truth, as with all political issues usually lies somewhere in between.

[mikiemd101]

its all hoffas doing. think on that.

[HouseHead]

The generics have and always will be cheaper yes... But I do enjoy seeing an accual OC on my pills when I go to enduldge! There is a pill for every ill

[jayeff]

The word "more" sounds so harmless, maybe we are paying $22 when in Canada we would only pay $20. And I'm sure that people who are not on medications, as well as many who are but have never checked, believe that is the scale of difference which is involved.

But for example, I have a nitro spray which is for heart-pain relief. Locally it costs $100-$120 and no generic is available. I can get it from Canada within 3-4 days and it costs $24.99 (delivered). The generic is $5 less. On just one medication buying from Canada saves me almost $1,000 a year.

The reasons are 1) the effectiveness of the lobby system in the US, 2) the lethargy of US voters and 3) people who are both sick and paying for their medications are in the minority.

[Linkster]

Although I agree that its both sides that have a problem in Wash DC - theyre all crooks as far as Im concerned - the drug companies are very worried right now:
From the Wash Post
"A post-election e-mail to executives at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline details just how tough. "We now have fewer allies in the Senate," says the internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post. "Thus, there is greater risk over the next two years that bad amendments will be offered to pending legislation." The company's primary concerns are bills that would allow more imported drugs and would force price competition for drugs bought under Medicare.

The defeat of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) "creates a big hole we will need to fill," the e-mail says. Sen.-elect Jon Tester (D-Mont.) "is expected to be a problem," it says, and the elevation to the Senate of Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) "will strengthen his ability to challenge us"

I guess its all in what the American people will accept in their apathetic lives

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

are you really so naive to think that drug companies are just donating money to republicans and in spite of all the dark forces working against them, those poor little innocent democrats, the last remaining champions of truth, freedom and justice are working so hard to undo these wrongs committed by the other side?

I never said anything about Democrats at all. I don't know why they'd even come into the issue since they haven't had power in 6 years, and no power in Congress for much longer. I'm sure when they are in power, they will go with the companies that paid their way to power.

But it doesn't discredit anything BoyAlley said. Republicans took a lot of money from Pharmaceutical companies. Much more than Democrats did. Maybe the new laws that protect those pharmaceutical companies was just a coincidence? Kind of like the big tax cuts for the oil companies.

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Insane Matt

The generics have and always will be cheaper yes... But I do enjoy seeing an accual OC on my pills when I go to enduldge! There is a pill for every ill

Just a note on generics. Most of them are actually made by the original manufacturers and then sold to the company. It's cheaper for most of the generic distributors to buy the pills directly from the manufacturer at a discount than producing it themselves.

[Fat Panda]

i agree it's all Jimmy Hoffa

[jeffrey]

Originally Posted by toonpornblog

Because, for one, they get away with it. For two, our money's worth more, despite our enormous debt.

Everyone else has already said why, but I have to comment on this.

I think you should go and look at the value of the USD compaired to the CDN, and then look at the trend over the last 5 years.
And then go and look into the predictions.
Its split 50/50 on wheather the USD will fall below the CDN or if it will jsut hold about this value over the next 3 years.

If China starts selling off their USD then the value would drop pretty fast.


Also if drug A in the states is 50 bucks USD and its 40 bucks CDN here then its almost 11 dollars cheaper here in canada then it is in the US.

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo

But it doesn't discredit anything BoyAlley said. Republicans took a lot of money from Pharmaceutical companies. Much more than Democrats did. Maybe the new laws that protect those pharmaceutical companies was just a coincidence? Kind of like the big tax cuts for the oil companies.

1) i dont know how much money either side took. i can assume from my own life experience that they are paying off anyone and everyone they can in as large of sums as they can legally get away with to hedge their bets in any possible outcome. thats usually the case.

2) his post was consistent with all other posts he makes "republicans=evil" - "democrats=love gay people so they are ok" - i was simply pointing out that in the "us against them" political debates... the "us" side tends to overlook the fact that their hands are just as dirty when it comes to voting records on issues and making those things become law.

there just are no cases where simply because one side has a majority in the house and senate that their side voted 100% one way and the other side voted 100% the other way to make something happen. it doesn't happen. they both tend to vote both ways to a certain degree and its never 1 side completely to blame... as his position is.

[DWB]

You can pay $80 for a zpack in the USA or $2.50 for the same thing, same brand in places like Thailand or Mexico.

I walk my drugs right through customs. Fuck 'em. Worse they do is take them, but I have yet had that happen.

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

1) i dont know how much money either side took. i can assume from my own life experience that they are paying off anyone and everyone they can in as large of sums as they can legally get away with to hedge their bets in any possible outcome. thats usually the case.

Here is a good site that shows donations to parties:

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=H04

Republicans got 69% of donations from ther pharms.

[squishypimp]

money talks & drug companies have lots of it.

[tehHinjew]

Why do you say its supposed to be the other way around?
I don't get that..

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo

Here is a good site that shows donations to parties:

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=H04

Republicans got 69% of donations from ther pharms.

i understand that the party in power got more money. its logical when they control the house and senate and white house. 30% also went to democrats and had they been in power as in years past, they would be getting 69% of the money and the same laws would be happening. that was my point.

i was just referring to the comments in the BoyAlleys usual context of "republicans do only wrong" "democrats do only right"

[directfiesta]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

i understand that the party in power got more money. its logical when they control the house and senate and white house. 30% also went to democrats and had they been in power as in years past, they would be getting 69% of the money and the same laws would be happening. that was my point.

i was just referring to the comments in the BoyAlleys usual context of "republicans do only wrong" "democrats do only right"