GOP reassessing stance on importing cheaper medicine

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2447183

Election-year politics and a fight over a new Medicare chief have forced the administration and Republican congressional leaders to rethink their opposition to importing cheaper prescription drugs from abroad.

Continuing increases in prescription drug prices -- the fastest growing item in health care -- and the pitched partisan battle over the new Medicare law have given the topic greater prominence in Congress and on the campaign trail.

AARP, the 35-million-member seniors group that gave Republican-backed Medicare legislation a critical endorsement last year, backs allowing imports. So do two Republican senators, former GOP leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and John Cornyn of Texas, both changing their position.

And so do nearly two-thirds of Americans, according to a recent Associated Press poll.

Drug costs are expected to outstrip the overall growth in health care spending for the next 10 years, and that projection doesn't even take into account the new Medicare prescription drug benefit that begins in 2006. Many economists believe the change will lead to even higher drug costs.

[gmoney]

1. Aren't the drugs manufactured here?

Doesn't Pfizer or whoever make the drug here, and Canadian distributors buy it, but with a heavy subsidy from the Canadian Government somewhere along the line, so that the drugs retail for much less than the US? Granted, they probably are smarter about negotiating prices, but I don't think the Canadians are going to stand for wholesale subsidization of the US drug companies and US consumers at the expense of the Canadian taxpayers. Maybe I'm wrong.

Wouldn't it just be easier to regulate drug prices here and save all the runaround?

[7th_Sephiroth]

2. and thus, comes the other edge of the blade

of the double bladed sword that is freedom of speach, by allowing prescription drug companies to advertise, they are useing the excuse that commercial production is why the drugs are so expensive in the united states

[Leilani]

3. American taxpayers subsidize the rest of the world

We pay for Research & Development, Advertising, etc.

All other countries negotiate their own prices with the drug companies. So why don't we do the same thing?

The companies could charge other countries a little more, & then could drastically cut our prices.

The political skunks will do anything to keep from negotiating prices on behalf of their citizens. These people are not representing us; they are representing corporations.

[Occulus]

4. And if they cave

Kerry needs to shout from the rooftops that it is a transparently political ploy that has nothing to do with how the maladministration really feels about this issue. Remember, there were sniffs and whiffs of potential prosecutions over this. I don't know if it ever actually happened, but it was certainly contemplated.

Were I to have my wish, I would force the * admin to "stay the course." It's their messy bed, and they should have to lie in it.

Were they to not change their minds about this, it would only help us. Let's pray they're not starting to wise up.

[moondust]

5. Does it matter?

If large organizations in the U.S. start importing from Canada the drug companies will simply stop supplying low-cost drugs to Canada or put a cap on the quantities they ship there. Some have already made such threats. The drug companies will win at this game because they control the supply.

The best way to get low-cost prescription drugs for U.S. seniors is by aggregating them into one huge group (Medicare) and use the power of their numbers to negotiate low prices. Of course profit-hungry Repigs won't allow that to happen.

[July]

6. They might (GASP!!) flip-flop?! n/t

[flaminbats]

7. naturally...

outsourcing is the American way, go neo-patriotism!

It would be Communist for to use Canada's methods, so that more drugs which are produced in our nation can also be sold here. Screw the small town pharmacists...help the patriotic campaign donors