Canada Drug Talk

Big Pharma Buys Democrats to Kill Reimportation Legislation

According to Washington Post Staff Writer Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, drug firms are now wooing Democrats to help defeat their drug reimportation bills:

"In the year since they took over on Capitol Hill, Democratic leaders have been unable to pass either a bill allowing reimportation of drugs from Canada or a measure requiring negotiation of drug prices under Medicare. Neither is likely to reach the president's desk this year. Lawmakers on both sides of these issues say the primary reason is the influence, now redirected, of the drug lobby."

One of the tricks Big Pharma uses is called "clogging the system" - they hire Democratic lobbyists from all the major firms to prevent opponents from using those consultancies.

Other tactics include:

• investing millions of dollars into Democratic goals
• increasing lobbying by 25% to $22 million last year
• forming alliances with every patient group it can find

Source Article:
Drug Firms Woo Democrats, Helping Defeat Their Bills

Editor's Note:

Politicians that get into bed with big pharma are:

• betraying the trust of the people they serve
• killing free competition
• poisoning the political process

If the drug industry is allowed to put politicians on both sides of the political spectrum into their pockets, our democratic system of government will be sicker than the millions without access to affordable drugs.

The health of our people and government is under attack but the TV news networks continue to debate: "Does Eliot Spitzer swallow?"

It is sad that they spend more time talking about politicans who sleep with a whore than they do about politicians who act like one.

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Political News and Commentary

Lately I have been spending a lot of time at Politics - Total Control.

It features political news, commentary and candidate comparisons.

Their political search engine gives you all the political news and commentary about any given issue with a single click.

Here are some of the issues I care about and search often:

big pharma

prescription drugs

healthcare

reimportation

Giuliani

In my opinion, Giuliani is the worst candidate - please do NOT vote for Giuliani.  I find his exploitation of 9-11 offensive and his use of fearmongering to keep grandparents from importing drugs from Canada despicable. In the past, he has been a mouthpiece for big pharma and I believe that he will continue to sacrifice the interests of public healthcare in order to increase profits for the prescription drug industry:

Giuliani has been Reduced to a Corporate Mouthpiece

The current administration sold us all out to the prescription drug industry by protecting big pharma from competition and barring the government from negotiating drug prices (the governments of all other industrialized nations negotiate drug prices and pay a fraction of what Americans pay for identical prescription drugs).  I believe that Giuliani will do the same or worse and pray that he never gets elected to any public office.

Judge Throws Out Canadian Drug Lawsuit

A federal judge has thrown out Montgomery County's lawsuit arguing that the FDA unfairly barred it from importing lower cost prescription drugs from Canada for its employees.

County officials say they're reviewing their legal options and deciding their next move.

Source: Judge Throws Out Canadian Drug Lawsuit (Associated Press)

Senator or Stain on Senate Floor - How Did Your Senator Vote on Drug Reimportation Amendment

Would you like to know how your senator voted on the prescription drug reimportation amendment?

According to the Vote Summary of U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 2nd Session, those who voted for the ammendment outnumbered those who opposed it by over two to one.

Statement of Purpose:

To prohibit the United States Customs and Border Protection from preventing an individual not in the business of importing a prescription drug from importing an FDA-approved prescription drug.

Vote Counts:

YEAs: 68
NAYs: 32

Who voted for the ammendment?

Akaka (D-HI), Allard (R-CO), Baucus (D-MT), Bayh (D-IN), Biden (D-DE), Bingaman (D-NM), Boxer (D-CA), Brownback (R-KS), Burns (R-MT), Byrd (D-WV), Cantwell (D-WA), Carper (D-DE), Chafee (R-RI), Clinton (D-NY), Coburn (R-OK), Collins (R-ME), Conrad (D-ND), Craig (R-ID), Dayton (D-MN), DeMint (R-SC), Dodd (D-CT), Dorgan (D-ND), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Feinstein (D-CA), Grassley (R-IA), Harkin (D-IA), Inhofe (R-OK), Inouye (D-HI), Jeffords (I-VT), Johnson (D-SD), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Kohl (D-WI), Landrieu (D-LA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (D-CT), Lincoln (D-AR), Lott (R-MS), Lugar (R-IN), Martinez (R-FL), McCain (R-AZ), Menendez (D-NJ), Mikulski (D-MD), Murkowski (R-AK), Murray (D-WA), Nelson (D-FL), Nelson (D-NE), Obama (D-IL), Pryor (D-AR), Reed (D-RI), Reid (D-NV), Rockefeller (D-WV), Salazar (D-CO), Sarbanes (D-MD), Schumer (D-NY), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Smith (R-OR), Snowe (R-ME), Specter (R-PA), Stabenow (D-MI), Talent (R-MO), Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA) and Wyden (D-OR).

Thank you all for having the common sense and wisdom to protect our borders from real threats and to help grandparents throughout the US get safe, affordable prescription drugs from Canada.  You are all a credit to the Senate and politics in general.

Who voted against the ammendment?

Alexander (R-TN), Allen (R-VA), Bennett (R-UT), Bond (R-MO), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Cochran (R-MS), Coleman (R-MN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeWine (R-OH), Dole (R-NC), Domenici (R-NM), Ensign (R-NV), Enzi (R-WY), Frist (R-TN), Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), Hagel (R-NE), Hatch (R-UT), Hutchison (R-TX), Isakson (R-GA), Kyl (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Roberts (R-KS), Santorum (R-PA), Stevens (R-AK), Sununu (R-NH), Thomas (R-WY), Voinovich (R-OH) and Warner (R-VA).

Shame on you!

By wasting Homeland Security resources to protect Big Pharma's profits, you:

• endangered our country by exposing us to real terrorist threats
• betrayed the people of the state who voted for you hoping that you would protect the interests of the constituents, not those of corporations who put short-term profits ahead of long-term national health
• made grandparents suffer needlessly because the drugs they paid for were stolen by their own government at the Canadian border

In my opinion, the carrion who voted against this amendment are not Senators.

The word senate is derived from the Latin word senex (old man).

If anyone called me 'old man' to my face, they would be asking for one in the kisser.  If they quietly looked up 'old man' in a dictionary, however, there would probably be a picture of someone who looks a lot like me (not as virile and charming, mind you, but the similarities would outnumber the differences).

The meaning of the word senate comes from a simple social organization in which decision-making powers are reserved for the eldest men in a society.

Again, if you put me somewhere on a scale between youngest and eldest in our society, I would probably be closer to the latter.

While it would be unreasonable (and age discrimination) to expect only the eldest of our society to be voted into our Senate (we are a democracy, after all, and there are many Senators with wisdom beyond their years), you would think that the Senate would at least have the courtesy, wisdom and common sense to protect the interests of the eldest in our society - people on whose backs this nation was built.

If the Senate puts corporate profits over the interests of taxpayers who worked hard and, in some cases, risked life and limb for this nation, what kind of sacrifice can you expect from the next generation?

That is why I think the carrion who voted against this amendment are not Senators.  They ignored the immediate interests of the eldest in our society.  More importantly, they betrayed the long-term interests of our nation by showing that personal sacrifices for the good of the nation are not repaid in kind but campaign contributions are.

Simply put, the short-sighted slugs who voted against the amendment are not Senators but stains on the Senate floor.

Hopefully there will be a clean-up on aisle five when their seats are up for election.

Source: US Senate Roll Call Votes

Senator Vitter Follows Through

Vitter Shows Off His Follow-through (Source: The Shreveport Times)

Give US Senator David Vitter credit for pushing ahead on one of his key campaign issues by working to loosen the borders for the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

Vitter... engineered passage of a Canadian loophole on a Food and Drug Administration ban regarding the importation of prescription medicine....  while sold more cheaply to Canadian and other foreign markets, are often made in the same factories.

Senate Passes Drug Reimportation Amendment

Senate Passes Drug Reimportation Amendment (Source: The Hill)

Supporters of drug reimportation notched a win yesterday when the Senate passed a bill that would prohibit federal funds from being used to confiscate prescription drugs from Canada.

The measure passed 68-32, with no opposition from Democrats.

Senate OKs Canada Drug Import Plan

Senate OKs Canada Drug Import Plan (Source: Guardian Unlimited)

The Senate opened the way Tuesday to let Americans import prescription drugs into the United States from Canada, seeking to ease a regulatory ban on cheaper medicine crossing the border.

The proposal, which was approved 68-32, would create a Canadian loophole on an FDA ban on importing prescription medicine into the United States.

Levin, Stabenow Support Prescription Drug Measure

Levin, Stabenow Support Prescription Drug Measure (Source: Detroit Free Press)

Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow helped the Senate pass a measure letting people buy their prescription drugs from Canada.

The Senate's homeland security spending bill approved last week allows Americans to import prescription drugs from Canada despite a Food and Drug Administration ban on importing prescription medicine into the United States.

Prescription drugs are generally sold at cheaper prices in Canada and other countries because of government price controls. The Senate passed the measure on a 68-32 vote.

Editor's Note: Brand name drugs are sold cheaper in Canada but 'government price controls' are only one of many factors.  To find out more, please read Why are Canadian Drug Prices Lower?  Also, keep in mind that generic drugs tend to be cheaper in the US than they are in Canada.  For more information, see Generic Drugs - Buy Locally and Shop Around in our Hints/Tips section.

Prescription Drug Myths in the News

It is amazing what passes for news these days.

An article that appeared on a Daily News website on May 22nd offered this quote from an American pharmacist as to why drugs were so expensive in the United States:

"You just have to try to make them understand the tremendous cost of bringing a drug to market."

The reporter then went on to explain how a new drug must go through a long research and testing process, followed by costly marketing phase.

For a more accurate account:

Fiction: Each New Drug Costs $800 Million Dollars to Develop

Why are Canadian Drug Prices Lower?

The article also seemed to suggest that there was something wrong with generic drugs:

"(Patients) should know they have a choice between falling in with a brand name or a generic...  The majority of the time, it’s fine to use a generic substitution."

The majority of the time it's fine to use a substitution?  I would be interested to know in what cases it would not be fine.  A generic drug, by definition, is therapeutically equivalent (identical in strength, concentration, and dosage form) to a brand-name drug.

The article goes on:

Still, in some cases, the generic substitution isn’t the best option for a patient. Other times, a generic equivalent isn’t available for a brand-name medication, in which case a doctor would need to prescribe a substitution.

While I can understand the second sentence (generic drugs cannot be manufactured until the patent on the brand name drug expires), the first sentence suggests that a generic substitution may not the best option for a patient.

Again, how can a therapeutically identical generic not be the best option?  Perhaps it is not the best option for the manufacturer of the brand name drug (nor for the pharmacy?).

For the patient, however, how can a drug that is equal to a brand name drug with the same use and metabolic disintegration but cheaper not be the best option from a consumer's perspective?

The pharmacy then goes so far as to offer tips for consumers which include the following question to ask your doctor or pharmacist:

Are there any risks (side effects or reactions) if I change from my current branded drug to a generic medication?

Sorry to sound like a broken record but generic drugs are identical in strength, concentration, dosage form and metabolic disintegration so if the patient is currently using a brand name drug that has a generic equivalent, there should be no problem whatsoever in switching to the less expensive alternative.

As you already know, brand name drugs are much cheaper in Canada.

This is not the case for generic drugs:

Generic Drugs - Buy Locally and Shop Around

Some Still See Canada as Option

Some Still See Canada as Option  (Source: Rocky Mountain News)

Seniors continue to buy medicines from Canada despite the push to enroll them in Medicare prescription drug plans.

A year's worth of Canadian drugs can cost the same or less than drugs bought in the cheapest Medicare plan. And the process is simple.

"We will save you 53 percent on the top 10 medications. Medicare doesn't come close to giving that kind of discount," said Andrew Stempler, president of rxnorth.com. "As soon as the Americans don't need me anymore, I won't be in business."

Editor's Note: RX North is listed in our Pharmacies section.

Online Canadian Prescription Drugs Available to Nevadans

Online Canadian Prescription Drugs Available to Nevadans

Nevadans can buy cheaper Canadian prescription drugs beginning next week. A state legislative committee gave final approval to rules allowing Nevada residents to make the purchases online.

So far, the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy licensed four Canadian pharmacies that meet the standards set by the state. The bottom line is, right now, any resident of Nevada can legally buy the cheaper Canadian drugs from those four companies.

Source: KLASTV

Editor's Note: A link to the Nevada State Governor's Approved Canadian Pharmacies List can be found on our Useful Links page under the 'Government' heading.

Prince George's Officials Want Canadian Drugs

Prince George's Officials Want Canadian Drugs (Source: WTOP News)

From the article:

Some Prince George's County lawmakers want the county to look at buying prescription drugs from Canada in an effort to save money.

Montgomery County lawmakers have already approved legislation that allows for the import of prescription drugs for its employees and retirees from Canada.

The county expects to save about $15 million a year.

GOP Conservatives Strategize with Dorgan on Reimportation

GOP Conservatives Strategize with Dorgan on Reimportation (Source: The Hill)

From the article:

A group of conservative Republicans has opened talks with the leading Democratic proponent of a bill to allow for the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries.

Republican freshman Senators David Vitter and John Thune are backing a reimportation bill that is identical to a House bill by Rep. Gil Gutknecht. The senators have been meeting with Sen. Byron Dorgan, who last year tried to force consideration of the issue by holding up the nomination of Mark McClellan to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Industry Aims to Defeat Discount Drug Initiatives

Industry Aims to Defeat Discount Drug Initiatives (Source: LA Times)

From the article:

The (pharmaceutical) industry already has raised an unprecedented $8.6 million to defeat a ballot initiative being readied by Health Access California, an Oakland-based nonprofit...

The Health Access measure would compel drug makers to offer discounts to 6 million to 10 million Californians — making a substantial dent in the industry's profits...

The companies are treating that approach, which is paralleled by Democratic legislation pending in the state Assembly, as far graver than last year's press to allow the importation of Canadian drugs.

Nevada Legislators Consider Drug Importation Plan

Nevada Legislators Consider Drug Importation Plan (Source: KRNV)

From the article:

A plan to help Nevadans buy prescription drugs from Canada has passed the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee...

The bill instructs the state Board of Pharmacy to inspect and license Canadian pharmacies. The state would then create a Web site with links to the pharmacies, to help Nevadans buy their drugs online.

Another Upstate County Considers Canadian Drug Option

Another Upstate County Considers Canadian Drug Option (Source: WSTM)

From the article:

Lawmakers in another upstate county may soon clear the way for government workers to obtain prescription drugs from Canada.

This week in Binghamton, Broome County legislators plan to review a program that backers say could result in big savings to taxpayers.

Last June, Schenectady County moved to permit its workers to obtain long-term prescription medications from Canada.

Murphy Leads the Fight to Allow Drug Reimportation

Murphy Leads the Fight to Allow Drug Reimportation (Source: The Herald)

From the article:

At a public hearing before the Public Health Committee in the state capitol Friday, people on all sides debated whether the state should buy drugs from Canada... to lower the cost of prescription medication.

Senator Christopher Murphy... is the chairman of the committee. He introduced bill 1236, which would pave the way for the state to begin the importation and reimportation of drugs from Canada...

Sandra Micalizzi, secretary of the Senior Citizen Committee, was a geriatric nurse for nearly 30 years. She told the committee that there is a clear need for such a bill, given the current state of health coverage.

Canada 'Nowhere Near' Internet Pharmacy Clampdown

Canada 'Nowhere Near' Internet Pharmacy Clampdown (Source: Reuters)

From the article:

Canada said on Friday it was "nowhere near" deciding how to clamp down on Internet pharmacies that send cheap medicine to the United States, often without Canadian doctors having seen the patients.

"I'm nowhere near a decision," he told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Ottawa.

FDA Seizes Prescriptions Sent to US from Abroad

FDA Seizes Prescriptions Sent to US from Abroad (Source: Boston Globe)

From the article:

The Food and Drug Administration is seizing prescription drugs shipped to US patients from overseas under I-Save Rx, the program sponsored by five states to help residents obtain low-cost medicines.

At least 54 customers said the FDA confiscated orders sent from Britain since late January, said Tony Howard, president of CanaRx Services Inc., the program's Tecumseh, Ontario-based supplier. The orders were worth $13,000, Howard said.

"I think the FDA's in collusion with the drug companies," Philip Flavin, 57, a disabled former respiratory therapist from Glenview, Ill., said.

Instead of receiving his order of Merck & Co.'s bone-strengthening drug Fosamax in January, he got a letter from the FDA saying the package had been seized by the US Post Office.

Montana House Endorses Canadian Drug Reimportation

Montana House Endorses Canadian Drug Reimportation (Source: Billings Gazette)

From the article:

The House gave initial approval Thursday to a bill aimed at giving older state residents access to cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

Reimporting drugs is technically illegal, but the laws are generally not enforced. Latest estimates show between 1 million and 2 million Americans get their drugs from Canada, with the average consumer saving 25 percent to 50 percent.

Under (Rep. Rick) Maedje's bill, the Department of Public Health and Human Services would run the prescription drug Web site, endorsing only registered Canadian pharmacies inspected by the state's pharmacy board.

Ontario Supplier Blasts FDA for Seizing Prescription Drugs from Canada

Ontario Supplier Blasts FDA for Seizing Prescription Drugs from Canada (Source: CBC News)

From the article:

"Can you imagine if a senior didn't get their medication and had a problem because the FDA seized it?" said (Tony) Howard.

"If the FDA is going to attack 70-year-olds and stop their medications, there's a big problem in that country."

Drugs like cholesterol-lowering Lipitor were among those stopped at airports by the FDA, which has always opposed drug imports and deemed them unsafe.

"These are maintenance medications and they're clearly labelled in sealed packages," said Howard, who resent medications to 54 customers who contacted the company.

Drug Companies' PAC Gives Big After Schwarzenegger's Vetoes

Drug Companies' PAC Gives Big After Schwarzenegger's Vetoes (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)

From the article:

For more than a decade, a trade group representing the nation's biggest drug companies was content to sit on the sidelines of California's legislative races.

But after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed four bills in September that would have made it easier for Californians to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Alliance quickly emerged as one of California's major players and one of the governor's key supporters.

The PhRMA group jumped into state legislative races late in the 2004 campaign — only two weeks after Schwarzenegger's Sept. 29 veto of the industry-opposed bills. It raised nearly $360,000 from its members — most of it during one week in mid-October — for distribution largely to Republican candidates backed by the governor.

Bill Would Make State Import Discount Drugs from Canada

Bill Would Make State Import Discount Drugs (Source: Portland Press Herald)

From the article:

(Rep. James) Campbell, who serves on the legislative committee that is considering the bill, said Monday he is trying to help Mainers who are too poor or too badly disabled to take one of the well-publicized bus trips to Canada that senior citizens have been making in recent years to save money on their medications.

"I was wondering what happens to the seniors who can't get out of the house or can't afford the trip," Campbell told the committee. Poor Mainers should not have to choose between paying the rent and buying medications, said state Rep. Timothy Driscoll...

Profits - Sole Reason For Blocking Cheap Drugs

Profits - Sole Reason For Blocking Cheap Drugs (Source: Scoop New Zealand)

From the article:

The biggest argument put forth by Bush and the industry against importation is safety. But in reality, the safety concern is patently bogus, mainly because the imported drugs are nearly all from the same manufacturers who already provide drugs to US suppliers.

According to (Doctor Peter) Rost, half of the large drug companies, including Roche, Glaxo, Novartis, Astra-Zeneca, and Sanofi-Aventis, are currently foreign corporations anyways. He maintains that our government allows these foreign drug makers to charge more in this country than their own governments allow them to charge, and this is the reason why they fight against reimportation.

"So what do these foreign companies do?" he said, "They take out big ads in American newspapers, and tell us that reimportation is not safe," he told the committee, "while they know full well that it's been done safely and cost-effectively in their own home markets, in Europe, for over twenty years."

Otsego Looks Into Plan to Lower Drug Costs

Otsego Looks Into Plan to Lower Drug Costs (Source: The Daily Star)

From the article:

Pharmacies in the county would be offered the option of participating in the program, and county residents would be able to choose from three options to save money on drug purchases, (Otsego County's Health, Education and Agriculture Committee Chairman Eugene) Wells said.

"If they bought their prescriptions from participating local pharmacies, they would receive discounts of up to 22 percent," he said. "If they used a U.S. mail-order pharmacy, they would save from 30 to 35 percent. And if they purchased prescriptions from a Canadian mail-order pharmacy, they would save from 45 to 60 percent."

Bad Medicine

Bad Medicine (Source: Boston Magazine)

From the article:

(Helen) Donega, who lives in North Adams, survived a mastectomy, then found she'd have to pay more than $100 a month for tamoxifen to prevent a recurrence. So she delayed taking it.

"You are gambling," she says, "and there are a lot of people who have more aggressive cancer than mine who did the same thing."

At issue in the tamoxifen case, which was dismissed by a trial judge and is now on appeal, is whether AstraZeneca struck a deal with a generic-drug company to extend the length of its brand-name patent, a practice called "evergreening." The cost of a drug often falls by as much as 80 percent when its patent expires, yet the alleged deal, plaintiffs continue to assert, allowed the company to charge 95 percent of its original price.

Editor's Note:

At the writing of this post, a 20mg tablet of Nolvadex (brand name of tamoxifen) was priced $3.65 at an American online pharmacy. A Canadian pharmacy listed Nolvadex at $0.97 for the same 20mg tablet. A women living with breast cancer taking a daily dose of 40mg will be forced to spend $219 every month for Nolvadex in the United States. From a Canadian pharmacy, the monthly cost would be only $58.20. Although the price of generic tamoxifen has dropped in the US, it still costs $1.27 per tablet - $0.30 more per tablet than the brand name product at a Canadian online pharmacy.

Missouri Bill Allowing Importation of Canadian Drugs Faces Stiff Opposition

Missouri Bill Allowing Importation of Canadian Drugs Faces Stiff Opposition (Source: Canadian Press)

From the article:

Lobbyists for drugmakers and pharmacies criticized legislation Wednesday that would license Canadian pharmacies to sell drugs in Missouri.

Representatives of the pharmaceutical industry suggested such a practice would be unsafe for consumers...

Editor's Note:

It amazes me to think that some anti-reimportation advocacy groups are still stooping to pick up the old "safety" red herring.  Everyone knows that Canadian drugs are as safe as American drugs.  In fact, many believe that drugs obtained in Canada are "safer" that those obtained in the US.

Washington State House Passes Canada Drug Bill

House Passes Canada Drug Bill (Source: The Olympian)

From the article:

In an effort to make it easier for people to buy cheaper prescription drugs in Canada, the state House passed a bill Friday directing the state Health Department to license Canadian pharmacies.

Rep. Sherry Appleton, who sponsored the bill, said the monthly drug bill for her 88-year-old mother, a cancer survivor, dropped from $836 to $300 when she started buying medications over the Internet from a Canadian pharmacy.

"I think people will feel more comfortable going across the border, knowing we have said as a Legislature that it's all right," said Appleton.

Cost of Prescriptions Making Many 'Sick'

Cost of Prescriptions Making Many 'Sick' (Source: Pahrump Valley Times)

From the article:

Barbara Grabski worries that her prescriptions are making her sick. It's not the drugs themselves, she says, but the extra work she must take on to pay for them.

"I'm stressed around the clock," said Grabski, a 60-year-old diabetic and breast cancer survivor. "They tell you to rest, but I've got to work to pay for all this. It's a vicious little circle."

So Grabski works four days a week at the Department of Motor Vehicles, one other day cleaning houses and is looking for a part-time job on weekends. She tests her blood sugar once a day, instead of the recommended three times, to save money on the test strips. Last year she said she spent $4,500 on prescription drugs - about one in every five dollars she takes home from the DMV.

Many people, especially senior citizens like Grabski, are turning to overseas pharmacies to save money. Scores of Web sites offer access to Canadian pharmacies that often sell drugs for as much as 30 percent less than U.S. suppliers.

Ottawa Drug Bust?

Ottawa Drug Bust? (Source: MacLeans)

From the article:

Despite recent and mildly conciliatory words about not wanting to put the kibosh on a $1-billion-plus business, Dosanjh has made it abundantly clear in the past month he is prepared to take on Canada's Internet pharmacies... His all-out offensive follows Bush's visit to Canada in early December, when the President raised the issue of Canadian drugs undercutting U.S. retailers with Prime Minister Paul Martin. Some critics have even speculated about a direct trade-off: an end to the flow of cheap drugs in exchange for the reopening of the border to Canadian beef...

If the Internet drug trade went under in Canada, up to two million Americans would find themselves without a ready source of affordable medicines.

Lawmakers Eye R.I. Move to License Canadian Pharmacies

Lawmakers Eye R.I. Move to License Canadian Pharmacies (Source: Sentinel & Enterprise)

From the article:

With a growing number of senior citizens being forced to choose between paying the high cost of prescription drugs or heating their home, Rhode Island Rep. Fausto Anguilla said he couldn't wait any longer for the federal government to step in.

The Bristol Democrat filed legislation empowering the state Board of Pharmacy to license Canadian pharmacies so residents can safely purchase drugs sold over the border for a fraction of the cost.

If Massachusetts passed a similar law, Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella said he'd owe it to city employees to explore the possibility.

He said he knows many residents in the city who already purchase drugs from Canada...

U.S. First Nations to Import Canadian Drugs?

U.S. First Nations to Import Canadian Drugs? (Source: CBC News)

From the article:

The Minnesota government has started contacting First Nations in the state to see if they'd be willing to provide citizens with prescription drugs from Canada.

Minnesotans can currently use a state-sponsored website to purchase prescription drugs from four Canadian online pharmacies...

...government officials are investigating the possibility of using the sovereign status of First Nations in the state to import prescription drugs and then distribute them to Minnesotans.

Council Considers Offering Data on Canadian Drugs

Council Considers Offering Data on Canadian Drugs (Source: LA Times)

From the article:

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to study setting up a website to help residents buy less expensive drugs imported from Canada, although such purchases are illegal.

The website, if approved by the council, could be operating by this summer. It probably would be modeled on a San Francisco Department of Public Health website that steers visitors to the sites of three Canadian firms that sell prescription drugs to Americans.

Senate Mulls Mail Order Drug Issue

Senate Mulls Mail Order Drug Issue (Source: Bristol Press)

From the article:

Dr. Peter Rost, Pfizer’s vice president of marketing for endocrine care, who previously marketed drugs for another company in Scandinavia, said that open re-importation forced prices down domestically and boosted sales.

Rost called the fight against re-importation "a fight to continue to charge our uninsured, our elderly, our poor, our weakest, full price, while giving everyone else a rebate."

"This is fundamentally unethical. This is not how we're supposed to treat our grandparents who built this country," Rost said, stating that his views did not represent those of his employer.

Internet Pharmacy Groups Mount Commons Offensive to Save Industry

Internet Pharmacy Groups Mount Commons Offensive to Save Industry (Source: Canadian Press)

From the article:

With high noon fast approaching in the showdown between the federal health minister and Internet pharmacies, the industry's biggest trade groups are set to mount their latest offensive Wednesday in front of a parliamentary committee.

The Canadian International Pharmacy Association will argue the U.S. market for prescription drugs from Canada is relatively small and manageable, eliminating the need for Ottawa to step in with changes to federal law that could effectively crush the $1-billion industry.

Public Support Fuels Latest Reimportation Push in Congress

Public Support Fuels Latest Reimportation Push in Congress (Source: AMNews)

From the article:

Public support is also reflected in recent opinion polls. For example, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 73% of Americans think Congress should change the law to allow reimportation. Only 21% oppose such measures. Sixty-nine percent said legalizing the practice would make medicines more affordable without sacrificing safety.

"People are not that concerned about the safety issue," said Harvard University professor Robert Blendon, MD, PhD, who helped conduct the Kaiser survey. "At the moment, they feel comfortable with drugs from Canada."

As long as people see a familiar label on their Canadian drugs, they think the medications are the same as they would get from their corner pharmacy, said Marvin Shepherd, PhD, professor of pharmacy at the University of Texas.

Bush Threatens to Veto Medicare Changes

Bush Threatens to Veto Medicare Changes (Source: ABC News)

From the article:

The presidential threat appeared to have little impact on Democrats. They argue that the 2003 Medicare overhaul needs to give seniors more access to affordable prescriptions by permitting drug importation from Canada and allowing the government to negotiate drug prices.

"This is an attempt by the president to stop the bipartisan groundswell for drug reimportation and price negotiation and just the latest example of the Republican Party putting special interests ahead of the American people," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

Red Lake Band, Canadian Tribes Discuss Direct Trade

Red Lake Band, Canadian Tribes Discuss Direct Trade (Source: Associated Press)

From the article:

Leaders from the Red Lake Band of Chippewa and eight Canadian tribes are discussing ways to open direct commerce across the border, including prescription drug sales.

One idea is the establishment of a pharmacy in Thief River Falls at the Seven Clans Casino, where lower-priced prescription medications imported from Canada would be sold.

The joint Dakota Ojibwe Tribal Council operates a pharmacy in Winnipeg licensed by the Manitoba Pharmacy Association.

House Passes Drug Reimportation Bill

House Passes Drug Reimportation Bill (Source: WCAX)

From the article: The Vermont House has passed a bill that requires the Douglas administration to join a multi-state program that allows people to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada...

Governor James Douglas is expected to sign the measure...

Drug Companies Crack Down on Canadian Internet Pharmacies

Drug Companies Crack Down on Canadian Internet Pharmacies (Source: ABC News)

From the article:

Pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Wyeth, and Eli Lily have all cut off supplies to any Internet pharmacy selling drugs to Americans.

Documents obtained by ABC News show how Merck's Canadian subsidiary — Merck Frosst — approached drug wholesalers that supply the Internet pharmacies. The company demanded " a written statement that you have not sold and will not sell Merck Frosst's drug products to entities which are selling, or enabling for sale, such products into the United States," according to one document.

"I believe it is to drive us out of business because it is a complete cutoff," said Dave MacKay, chief executive of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.

Op/Ed: No Good Reason to Bow to U.S. Pharma's Lobbying

Op/Ed: No Good Reason to Bow to U.S. Pharma's Lobbying (Source: Toronto Star)

From the article:

Even though several major pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Merck, have begun to stop supplying product to pharmacies that resell to the U.S., there are at least two reasons why that approach should not lead to a Canadian drug shortage.

First, the refusal to supply drugs is already being challenged in both Canada and the U.S. with several pending antitrust lawsuits as well as complaints before the Canadian Competition Bureau.

Second, the Canadian government could respond to the pharmaceutical companies by issuing compulsory licenses that would allow their generic pharmaceutical competitors to manufacture the same product in Canada provided the brand-name companies are given reasonable compensation.

While such an approach would spark an outcry from the industry, no industry should be permitted to hold a country hostage with threats that undermine public health.

U.S. Grabs 81-Year-Old's Lipitor Sent via Canada

U.S. Grabs 81-Year-Old's Lipitor Sent via Canada (Source: The Capital Times)

From the article:

Charles Netzow is upset that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confiscated a drug that was being mailed to him from a pharmacy in Canada to help keep his cholesterol under control.

"I'm angry because it's nonsense," the 81-year-old suburban Fox Point man... after receiving a notice from the FDA indicating that his 90 tablets of Lipitor were confiscated...

Governor Jim Doyle, an advocate of access to cheaper online Canadian pharmacies, said he had no doubt that the drugs Netzow has been getting are the same drugs sold in the United States.

Doyle said he believed the FDA was confiscating drugs because of pressure from drug companies.

"The Bush administration has really put pressure on Canada to shut this down... The real question for the FDA and the Bush administration is, why don't you get on the side of the people?"

Alcock Offers High Level Support to Web Pharmacies

Alcock Offers High Level Support to Web Pharmacies (Source: CBC Manitoba)

From the article:

Treasury Board President Reg Alcock met with federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh in Ottawa Thursday to discuss ways Ottawa could address medical concerns about internet pharmacies without killing the industry.

Dosanjh has said the government could make it illegal for pharmacies to fill prescriptions for patients who have not been seen in person by a Canadian doctor, prevent the filling of prescriptions for foreigners who are not in Canada, or ban certain drugs from being exported.

Any of those moves would effectively kill the online pharmacy business, which employs an estimated 2,500 Manitobans and brings millions of dollars to the province's economy.

Alcock, the Liberal MP for The Winnipeg South, says no federal action against internet pharmacies is imminent.

Aberdeen Pharmacy Sues Canada Drug

Aberdeen Pharmacy Sues Canada Drug (Source: Keloland)

From the article:

A wholesale pharmacy in an Aberdeen is trying to shutdown the pipeline of prescription drugs from Canada...

Jewett Drug Company is suing Canada Drug, a Sioux Falls business that offers customers access to cheaper medicines from Canada. In court papers, Jewett says Canada Drug is operating as a pharmacy without a license.

Steele, Hiett Introduce 'Rx for Oklahoma'

Steele, Hiett Introduce 'Rx for Oklahoma' (Source: Shawnee News-Star)

From the article:

Providing access to prescription medicines for low-income and uninsured Oklahomans is the goal of the "Rx for Oklahomans" drug plan introduced Tuesday by State Rep. Kris Steele and Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville.

"What we are proposing is actually, I think, a result of some legislation that Gov. (Brad) Henry carried when he was a senator..."

The governor introduced his "Prescription for Savings" program Jan. 26 that would establish a program to resell U.S. prescription drugs imported from Canada.

Henry's program would also create a state Web site that allows Oklahoma citizens to order cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and other industrialized countries that rely on U.S. pharmaceutical companies for their supplies.

Manitoba Premier Remains Hopeful Internet Pharmacy Compromise Can Be Reached

Manitoba Premier Remains Hopeful Internet Pharmacy Compromise Can Be Reached (Source: Canadian Press)

From the article:

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer remained hopeful Monday that a federal crackdown on the Internet pharmacy industry can be averted...

Doer said... he believes a compromise can be found that will let the industry flourish... while setting rules to control the flow of cheaper Canadian drugs to underinsured and uninsured Americans.

"We can't just throw away 2,500 jobs because of either pressure from the United States or Big Pharma here in Canada."

Vermont Presses Drug Companies on Pricing Issues

Vermont Presses Drug Companies on Pricing Issues (Source: Times Argus)

From the article:

Tiny Vermont – with less than half a percent of the nation's population – is exerting an outsized influence on the issue of prescription drugs.

Whether it's in the halls of Congress, in the Statehouse in Montpelier or, this week, in a national gathering of state attorneys general at a Chicago hotel, Vermont officials and organizations are at the forefront of one of the hottest political and economic topics nationwide.

Vermont is so far the only state to sue the Food and Drug Administration over its refusal to permit state government to set up a pilot prescription drug reimportation program.

And Vermont's actions have been noticed.

As the attorney generals met in Chicago, the pharmaceutical industry put on a nearby counter-event, offering more opulent drinks and refreshments, according to those who were there.

Canadian Drug Cutoff Could Shift Markets

Canadian Drug Cutoff Could Shift Markets (Source: Billings Gazette)

From the article:

(Tom) Kennedy also raises the possibility of a link, a quid pro quo, between the proposed change in Canada's drug policy and plans to reopen the U.S. borders to Canadian beef. Both took place during a similar time frame and both are matters under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration, he said.

If that's true, he said, it would be a double whammy for Montanans.

"They'd have their drugs cut off and they'd be impacted with Canadian beef coming back into the market," he said.

Putting international and federal politics aside, the state, too, has jumped on the drug importation bandwagon. House Bill 364, sponsored by Rick Maedje of Fortine, would facilitate the mail-order purchase of drugs from Canada. A hearing on the bill took place this week. To date, it remains in committee.

City to Offer Canadian Prescription Drug Plan

City to Offer Canadian Prescription Drug Plan (Source: Providence Journal)

From the article:

In a move expected to save a substantial amount of money, the city is partnering with a Canadian prescription service to enable current and retired city employees to buy their prescription drugs from north of the border.

Mayor Scott Avedisian announced the initiative this week, saying that about 1,500 past and present municipal workers will now have the option of buying their prescription drugs from Canada.

Prescription drugs cost markedly less in Canada, and the city, which is self-insured for medications and other health expenses, should save as much as 40 percent, Avedisian said.

School Department employees and retirees will not have the option; the department has its own self-insurance system. But Avedisian said that, after the city reviews its experience and savings in a few months, he probably will recommend that the schools follow the city's lead.

Brooks: "Extend Drug Discount"

Brooks: "Extend Drug Discount" (Source: WOKR)

From the article:

Discounts on prescription drugs could be available to everyone in Monroe County soon.

County Executive Maggie Brooks wants to expand a program that's now only for people over 50.

It wouldn't cost the county anything because it's run through a local company that purchases the drugs.

Area resident Ted Chikey happily shovels his driveway and his neighbor's driveway--every day. He's on prescription drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol and thyroid problems.

"I feel terrific!" Chickey said. "I probably feel better than you do!"

Chickey turned down the Monroe County drug card in favor of getting drugs through Canada.

Congress Urged to Rethink Drug Plan

Congress Urged to Rethink Drug Plan (Source: Gannett News Service)

From the article:

Congress should try one more time to pass legislation that would help Americans buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and other industrialized countries legally and safely, a senior activist told lawmakers Wednesday.

"Unaffordable drugs are neither safe nor effective," Mary Jorgensen told the Senate Aging Committee.

Jorgensen, part of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups, said her group has helped about 1,200 elderly people buy their drugs from two licensed Canadian pharmacies the organization inspected.

Importing drugs is not the answer for everyone, she said. However, Jorgensen said consumers should be able to choose whether to buy their prescription drugs in the United States or elsewhere.

Senator Gordon Smith, the committee chairman, agreed.

"I have heard from many Oregonians who tell me that their choice is simple -- purchase drugs from Canada or another foreign source or go without their medications," said Smith, a Republican.

Reimportation Passes Vermont Senate

Reimportation Passes Vermont Senate (Source: WCAX)

From the article:

"Our choice is to do it or to let our citizens suffer," says Sen. Peter Welch, R-Vt. Senate President.

Welch admits the prescription drug bill approved by the Senate is not a cure-all, but part of an ongoing battle to reduce prescription drug costs.

It gives people access to a web site and toll free number through which they can buy medicines from Canada or Europe, where prices are generally much lower.

Go North, Old Man: Legislators Seek Drug Solution in Canada

Go North, Old Man: Legislators Seek Drug Solution in Canada (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

From the article:

Lawmakers looked north Tuesday for a solution to the rising cost of prescription drugs, considering several bills aimed at making it easier for people and state agencies to buy lower-priced medication from Canada.

"As a nurse, I've heard people say 'I can't afford my drugs,' and I've spent hours and hours trying to figure out how to get them," said committee chairwoman Rep. Eileen Cody... "It's a reality to me that people cannot afford their drugs."

Bulk purchasing from Canada is a pipe dream for now, because federal law prohibits it... But individuals are allowed to purchase a 90-day medication supply in Canada and bring it back to the United States, often with substantial savings.

About 700,000 people in Washington state lack prescription drug coverage, and some have already discovered cheaper Canadian drugs on trips across the border or on Internet pharmacy sites. Many brand-name prescription drugs cost 80 percent less in Canada, said Rep. Geoff Simpson...

Peter Rost: Did the Drug Industry Just Make Reimportation Obsolete?

Peter Rost: Did the Drug Industry Just Make Reimportation Obsolete? (Source: The Sierra Times)

From the article:

I'm a drug company executive so I suppose I should have felt proud and happy when I read in the New York Times that ten pharmaceutical companies are joining in a new program to "cut 25 percent to 40 percent from the retail prices of prescription drugs sold to uninsured people."

I have personally spent a lot of time advocating reimportation and increased access to drugs, so my joy should have increased even more when I learned that industry officials said that if the cards worked as intended, "they could reduce the public clamor for legislation to allow the import of low-cost drugs from Canada..."

But I started getting concerned when I discovered that the drug makers had only agreed to provide a subsidy of "15 percent of the list price." That's on drug prices that are already 100% higher than in Europe. And based on the article, it appeared as if participating pharmacists would pay for the rest of the rebate.

Unfortunately, the drug executives "could not name any participating chain drugstores because negotiations are still under way."

Drug Re-importation Bill Again on Center Stage in Legislature

Drug Re-importation Bill Again on Center Stage in Legislature (Source: Times Argus)

From the article:

A drug re-importation bill allowing Vermonters access to lower-cost prescriptions from Canada... is likely to take center stage in the legislature this week.

Senate committees spent much of last week on the issue and this week it moves to the Senate Health and Welfare panel.

A measure bringing Vermont into a Illinois-based buying program already used by three other states is likely to be brought to the floor of the Senate very soon.

"Our big push is to get this thing going and we have cleared the decks for this," Rep. John Tracy, D-Burlington, chairman of the new House Health Finance Committee said Sunday. Drug re-importation is a short-term solution, Tracy said, in part because of the possibility of drug supplies from Canada being limited.

E.P. Looks to Break Ground for Canada

E.P. Looks to Break Ground for Canada (Source: Pawtucket Times)

From the article:

...about 3,000 people in East Providence already purchase prescription drugs from Canada, either through the mail or by taking bus trips across the border...

Supporters of the Canadian pharmacy bill held a press conference... to celebrate the law taking effect.

"We don't have to beat around the bush; we know the price gouging that goes on with prescriptions in this state and throughout the United States," said Woonsocket Senator Roger Badeau, the Senate sponsor of the bill.

Badeau warned that supporters have to keep fighting because the drug manufacturers are going to try to reverse the law.

"This industry is a very wealthy industry, it is an industry that isn't going to stop. What they can't stop in the United States they might stop through Canada."

To Keep Access To Canadian Drugs, Tell Bush Administration to Back Off, Says DoctorSolve

To Keep Access To Canadian Drugs, Tell Bush Administration to Back Off, Says DoctorSolve (Source: PR Web)

From the press release:

According to Dave MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA), Canada may eliminate prescription drug exportation as early as next month due to political pressure in the form of intimidation tactics and possibly trade concessions from the Bush Administration. Despite extensive pressure on the Canadian government to resist, MacKay adds that the industry needs your support now.

"We'd appreciate your assistance in our fight to provide you, and other Americans, with affordable prescription medications," says MacKay. "This is a direct attempt by the Bush Administration on behalf of Big Pharma to protect drug company profits, and it is at your expense and ours. We strongly encourage you to urge President Bush not to make drug importation a trade issue."

Although Dr. Paul Zickler, co-founder of DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions in Vancouver, B.C., believes that the government's final decision regarding the proposed legislation could go either way, and firmly supports CIPA's position, he's prepared DoctorSolve to service American customers regardless of the outcome.

Merck Targets Drug Reimports

Merck Targets Drug Reimports (Source: Washington Post)

From the article:

Merck said it will stop supplying its drugs to Canadian pharmacies that export the medicines to patients in the United States...

It sent Canadian drug retailers... a letter on Jan. 14, saying it would cease supplying products...

Baldacci, 5 Other Governors Urge Continued Cross-border Drug Sales

Baldacci, 5 Other Governors Urge Continued Cross-border Drug Sales (Source: Maine Today)

From the article:

Maine's John Baldacci and five other U.S. governors eager to keep cheap Canadian drugs flowing freely across the border want to meet with Prime Minister Paul Martin in Ottawa to address speculation the government is set to clamp down on the practice. In a letter sent to Martin on Wednesday, the governors say halting the $1 billion trade could be disastrous.

"We believe it is imperative that the Canadian government realize the restriction of prescription drug supplies could mean the difference between life and death for many Americans," wrote the governors.

U.S. Drug Manufacturers Issue Threat

U.S. Drug Manufacturers Issue Threat (Source: The Winnipeg Sun)

From the article:

American drug manufacturers have stepped up their efforts to disrupt the cross-border trade of Canadian-made meds into the U.S., says the owner of a Winnipeg-based internet pharmacy.

Merck... announced recently it would cut off its supply to all Canadian pharmacies and websites dispensing drugs to Americans, according to Daren Jorgenson, owner of Winnipeg-based Canadameds.com.

Drug Re-Importation Plan Proposed

Drug Re-Importation Plan Proposed (Source: The Hartford Courant)

From the article:

Some Connecticut lawmakers want to set up a clearinghouse to help seniors and people without health insurance buy prescription drugs from Canada.

The prices Connecticut consumers would pay for many brand-name U.S.-made drugs could be cut nearly in half if they are re-imported from Canada... according to Democrats in the General Assembly who discussed the proposal at a press conference Wednesday.

"The federal government has abdicated its responsibility" by not allowing bulk purchasing plans that would provide affordable drugs to the needy, said Senator Christopher Murphy...

Canadian Drug Law in Effect Today

Canadian Drug Law in Effect Today (Source: Providence Journal)

From the article:

The law empowering Rhode Island to license Canadian pharmacies goes into effect today, but that doesn't mean the floodgates will suddenly open to a new supply of medications from Canada.

For one thing, many Rhode Islanders are already ordering less-expensive drugs by mail from Canada...

For another, today's effective date merely starts the weeks-long application process for prospective licensees.

It's not clear what effect the Rhode Island law will have, since many people are already getting Canadian drugs. Some say the state license will give the Canadian drugs legitimacy that might overcome the fears of some who have been reluctant to order from Canada.

The Border: Open for Business

The Border: Open for Business (Source: The Pawtucket Times)

From the article:

Canadians Drug Store will file an application today - the first day it is allowed to by law - to be the first pharmacy from north of the border to open for business in Rhode Island.

Today is the first day a pharmacy is allowed to apply for a license.

It will be several weeks to a month before one is actually issued...

In the meantime... pharmacies from Canada will be applying for licenses and setting up storefronts, "so people can keep a lookout for storefronts opening in their areas."

The Gray Panthers and the Senior Agenda will hold a Statehouse press conference today to hail the Canadians Drug Store application and welcome the effective date of the new law.

PhRMA's Envoys - Former Ambassador Lobbies Canadians on Drug Imports to U.S.

PhRMA's Envoys - Former Ambassador Lobbies Canadians on Drug Imports to U.S. (Source: The Center for Public Integrity)

From the article:

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry, which is mounting a multi-million dollar campaign to prevent importation of prescription drugs from across the northern borders, enlisted an ex-envoy to Canada and his former top aide to lobby the government with which they once conducted diplomacy.

Gordon Giffin, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Canada from August 1997 to April 2001, and his chief of staff, Maryscott "Scotty" Greenwood, have been quietly lobbying that country's various government agencies for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the powerful industry trade group, since December 2002, Canadian lobbying disclosure records reviewed by the Center for Public Integrity revealed.

Giffin and Greenwood, both employees of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, lobbied on Canada's "prescription drug policy," a critical legislative subject for the industry with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake and a huge political issue in Canada, as well as in the United States.

Related Link:
Lobbyists Registration Records

'Simpsons' Visit Canada for Prescription Drugs

'Simpsons' Visit Canada for Prescription Drugs (Source: CBC Manitoba)

From the article:

The Simpsons made light of Manitoba's cross-border pharmacy industry Sunday evening in an episode that had several of the hit cartoon's characters heading north to buy prescription drugs.

The episode saw bumbling father Homer Simpson, his elderly dad, Abe, perky neighbour Ned Flanders and convenience store clerk Apu travelling to Winnipeg to stock up on pills for residents of their town, Springfield.

Industry Executive Calls For Drug Reimportation

Industry Executive Calls For Drug Reimportation (Source: The Champlain Channel)

From the article:

A senior executive at a drug company is urging lawmakers to approve prescription drug imports from Canada... saying that foreign-made drugs pose no larger danger to Americans than domestically manufactured medications.

Speaking to a Vermont House-Senate committee, Dr. Peter Rost, vice president of Pfizer, criticized people within his own industry and the Bush administration, who have both warned that foreign pills may be unsafe.

"However painful it is for me to say this, I think patented drugs from Europe or Canada may even be safer than buying drugs in the United States," said Rost.

Rost urged state lawmakers to authorize prescription drug reimportation, saying people who are fighting the proposal are misinformed.

Reader Insight on Canadian Bill C-282

A Canada Drug Talk reader has taken time out of their day (Thank you, Ben!) to send us an e-mail with his insight on the Canadian Bill C-282:

While I would want to check with someone more familiar with Canadian politics, it appears that this bill is not a sure thing. While it is sponsored by a member of the governing Liberal Party, he is a backbencher (just elected in June 2004) -- and most importantly, the Canadian Parliament website says that only House of Commons bills numbered C-1 to C-200 are considered "government" bills. Everything else is considered "Private Members' Public Bills" and *hopefully* that means C-282 has little chance of passing.

Since much of the drugs-exported-to-U.S. industry is in Manitoba, it is troubling that only 3 of that province's 14 seats in the House of Commons are held by the Liberal Party.

(See Manitoba Candidates & Ridings)

Manitoba's provincial government is controlled by the liberal (lower case L) New Democratic Party, which may also help keep the affordable-medicine pipeline open to the U.S.

On the other hand, the Liberal government has a semi-shaky hold on power -- it does not have a majority in the Commons and may not want to do anything to rock the boat, including passing C-282.

Here's hoping C-282 is just the work of an individual member and nothing more.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and considerate e-mail, Ben!

State Aims at FDA in Canada Drug Suit

State Aims at FDA in Canada Drug Suit (Source: Times Argus)

From the article:

Attorney General William Sorrell, who in August filed Vermont's first-in-the-nation reimportation lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration, said that the agency's continued efforts to stymie the state's plans are without merit and against the law.

Ten advocacy groups – including AARP Vermont – also joined the state in opposing the federal government's position. That brief declared that a system already exists to ensure safety, pointing out that the U.S. imports food, flu vaccine and other products without major safety concerns.

"The careful and limited Canadian importation program that Vermont seeks to implement, working in conjunction with the FDA to address all the safety and cost concerns, should be allowed to go forward to provide the real data and expertise the state and federal government need to demonstrate how importation could best be safely implemented," the AARP said in its brief.

Poll: Voters Favor Drug Importation

Poll: Voters Favor Drug Importation (Source: WBRZ)

From the article:

More than two-thirds of Louisiana voters favor importing prescription drugs from Canada, according to The Advocate's statewide year-end poll.

Voters were asked whether it is a good or a bad idea to allow people to import prescription drugs from Canada.

About 69 percent said it is a good idea; 23 percent said a bad one; and 9 percent didn't know or didn't answer.

The drug importation issue permeated Louisiana's recent U.S. Senate campaign. Republican winner David Vitter promised to fight for laws to allow sick people to buy lower-cost Canadian drugs.

Doer Fights Crackdown on Internet Pharmacies

Doer Fights Crackdown on Internet Pharmacies (Source: Globe and Mail)

From the article:

The federal government's threatened crackdown on Internet pharmacies could exceed Ottawa's jurisdiction, Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said yesterday, promising to stand in defence of the controversial industry.

Mr. Doer met with Internet pharmacy officials yesterday to talk about how to respond to a suggestion last month from Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh that Ottawa wants new regulations restricting cross-border trade.

"These companies are very good citizens of this province and we plan on standing with them," Mr. Doer said.

Doer Wants 'More Informed Debate' on Internet Pharmacy in Ottawa

Doer Wants 'More Informed Debate' on Internet Pharmacy in Ottawa (Source: Canadian Press)

From the article:

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer is calling for "a more informed debate" around the federal cabinet table in a bid to halt a widely anticipated crackdown on Internet pharmacies.

"We think some of this debate is underinformed," said Doer, who has become increasingly vocal in his support of the industry, which was founded in Manitoba five years ago.

Doer said his government and the industry will take steps to ensure Canadians are protected.

Advocates Fear Loss of Drugs from Canada