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 Libra63
 
posted on June 30, 2005 08:21:11 AM new
Posted on Thu, Jun. 30, 2005

Canadian bills would limit flow of drugs to U.S.
By Doug Struck

Washington Post

OTTAWA - Canada will take steps to restrict the flow of cheaper prescription drugs to U.S. consumers, the health minister announced Wednesday, countering a move in the U.S. Congress to legalize the import of Canadian drugs.

``Canada cannot be the drugstore for the United States of America. Two hundred eighty million people can't expect us to supply drugs to them,'' Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said at a news conference in Ottawa.

Dosanjh said he was preparing legislation that would ``make sure that bulk exports are not undertaken'' to the United States. The measure would stop the plans of a variety of U.S. municipalities and states to reduce drug costs by tapping the Canadian market. Those plans are awaiting the approval of legislation in Congress.

The minister also said he was drafting new regulations aimed at controlling individual purchases of Canadian prescription drugs made over the Internet by about 2 million Americans last year. He said Canada would toughen its rules to require ``an established doctor-patient relationship for any cross-border drug sales.''

Currently, patients who receive a prescription from a U.S. doctor can have it filled over the Internet, with the prescription endorsed by a Canadian doctor and the drugs mailed from Canada directly to the patient.

Dosanjh, the Canadian health minister, has long been a critic of this system and said tougher regulations are needed to stop the ``unethical'' rewriting of prescriptions by Canadian-licensed doctors.

Canadian requirement

But the rules are not yet final. If they require a Canadian doctor to physically examine a patient, it would probably kill the Internet trade. But if they only require the doctor consult by phone with the patient or view the results of a patient's examination by a U.S. physician, the drug sales could continue, said Andy Troszok, president of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.

``We want the opportunity to work with the government on this,'' said Troszok, whose association includes pharmacies that do the bulk of the Internet and mail-order business from Canada.

Canadian prescription drug prices are controlled by the government, and the drugs often cost about 30 percent less than in the United States. Dosanjh and others say that U.S. demand will swamp the Canadian pharmaceutical industry, raising prices and causing shortages.

``Our supply chain is geared up to meet the need of 30 million Canadians, and we don't have the scale of operation to be able to respond to the likely demand of the U.S.,'' said Jeff Poston, executive director of the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

But critics say the big pharmaceutical companies have put pressure on the Canadian government to prevent exports from intruding on the higher-priced U.S. market.

Drug companies

``I think this is a case of the pharmaceutical companies manipulating markets,'' said Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., a co-sponsor of one of the bills before the U.S. Congress to remove the federal prohibition on cross-border drug sales.

Anthony Wright, executive director of the Oakland-based Health Access, said California and federal governments in the United States should imitate Canada and use their purchasing power to extract discounts from drug companies.

Health Access, a coalition of labor and consumer organizations, was behind two bills passed in California last year that would have created government-sponsored Web sites encouraging consumers to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the measures.

Now, Health Access has placed on the November ballot a measure that would require pharmaceutical companies who do business with the state government to slash drug costs for California's poorest residents.

``It's now more imperative that we get the state of California to negotiate the best possible prices,'' Wright told the Associated Press. ``It's troubling that Canada is moving away from allowing reimportation, but that will increase the demand for our state and federal government to take their rightful role in negotiating on their citizens' behalf.''



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 kiara
 
posted on June 30, 2005 09:13:37 AM new
Basically it was nothing new that was announced and nothing will change for now.

Health Canada will set up a drug supply network to warn of pending shortages, Mr. Dosanjh will introduce legislation this fall to ban bulk exports "when necessary," and he wants tougher federal regulations to require "an established patient-practitioner relationship."

"It has never been my intention to kill the industry," said Mr. Dosanjh.

Mr. Dosanjh repeated his assertion that Canada cannot be the drugstore to the United States and the government needs to take steps to ensure Americans in search of cheaper prescription drugs don't leave Canadians short.

He said his timing is tied to legislation currently working its way through the U.S. Congress that could eventually legalize bulk drug imports from Canada as well as prescriptions for personal use.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050629.gtdrugs0628/BNStory/Technology/


 
 rustygumbo
 
posted on June 30, 2005 10:33:12 AM new
I would admit it would be in Canada's interest to make sure their citizens have the necessary prescriptions they need.

I wouldn't be surprised if GW decided to attack Canada though. I can see it now... Bob Dole calling up the White House looking for his Viagra fix... GW, "What??? Can't find any??? Well, hell my friend... we'll just attack Canada and raid their supply, but it will be hard work, i mean really hard work..."

 
 Libra63
 
posted on June 30, 2005 11:02:59 AM new
Please note Kiara the date of your post and the date of mine...
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 kraftdinner
 
posted on June 30, 2005 11:29:28 AM new
Libra, I take it, because you've posted about this topic twice in the past few weeks, that it's a personal concern of yours. What worries you about all this?

 
 kiara
 
posted on June 30, 2005 11:48:10 AM new
Please note Kiara the date of your post and the date of mine...

What's your point, Libra63?

Mine was from the Globe and Mail.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 Updated at 7:00 PM EDT

Canadian Press

**************************************

Please tell me what changed about the report since last night and this morning when you posted yours, Libra63. What am I missing?

 
 Libra63
 
posted on June 30, 2005 03:42:48 PM new
Mine was from you favorite paper The Washington Post.

Tell me KD how many times have you posted about Bush since I last was here June 27 in the PM.

I don't know what did change Kiara.
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 kiara
 
posted on June 30, 2005 04:45:07 PM new
Mine was from you favorite paper The Washington Post.

Whose favorite paper is The Washington Post? It's not mine.


Please note Kiara the date of your post and the date of mine...

I don't know what did change Kiara.


So what is the point about the dates? Why was I supposed to please note them?



BTW Libra63, are you ordering your drugs in BULK from Canada? What are you taking in such quantity that it will affect the total supply of the Canadians and short all of them if you keep ordering it?


 
 kraftdinner
 
posted on June 30, 2005 08:39:19 PM new
Libra, I simply asked if this issue concerned you personally. It's an interesting topic no matter if it does or not. Quit acting so crabby!

LoL Kiara!


 
 Libra63
 
posted on June 30, 2005 09:32:43 PM new
KD-Just because you read my post as crabby doesn't mean I am crabby.

So you thought Kiara post was funny. How did you know that? Now you used a smiley face, like others do. How do you interpret that?

Everyone interprets posts as if people are angry. Well maybe this would be a nicer place if they wouldn't think that. But who wants a nicer place?

I am not angry that maybe you won't be able to get your drugs at a reasonable price. Maybe I am happy that the US citizens will get theirs and deplete yours.

Get over it I just posted an article I read in Yahoo, because we had just had a discussion about it and I was told the Canadian Supply was plentiful. (no smiley face from me as I usually don't use them)





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 kiara
 
posted on June 30, 2005 10:15:39 PM new
Everyone interprets posts as if people are angry.

They do? I don't. Do you?



Well maybe this would be a nicer place if they wouldn't think that.

I don't think that. Do you think that?



But who wants a nicer place?

I do sometimes and sometimes I don't. Do you?



Maybe I am happy that the US citizens will get theirs and deplete yours.

Yes, that seems to be something that would make you very happy.



I was told the Canadian Supply was plentiful.

It was. It still is. And it will be.



 
 Libra63
 
posted on June 30, 2005 10:31:21 PM new
Kiara I think you failed to read KD post.

She wanted to know why I was acting so crabby?

I was just explaining to her that I wasn't crabby it was only her interpertation of it.

Main Entry: fa·ce·tious
Pronunciation: f&-'sE-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French facetieux, from facetie jest, from Latin facetia
1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : WAGGISH <just being facetious>
[B]2[/
B]: meant to be humorous or funny : not serious <a facetious remark>
synonym see WITTY
- fa·ce·tious·ly adverb
- fa·ce·tious·ness noun
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[ edited by Libra63 on Jun 30, 2005 10:32 PM ]
 
 kiara
 
posted on June 30, 2005 10:38:07 PM new

I agree, Libra63. Kraft should just get over it.

 
 kraftdinner
 
posted on July 1, 2005 12:08:25 PM new
Libra, instead of answering my honest question to you, you replied defensively that I posted about Bush which I didn't. That sounded like you were acting crabby. I didn't say you ARE crabby or look like a crab or anything else. And yes, I laughed at Kiara's post because she joked about you using up all the Canadian drugs, wondering which ones would deplete our supply. Do you see the humour?

As Kiara mentioned and as it now stands, the list of things you say I need to get over, is long so I've got lots of work ahead of me.

Happy Canada Day, Kiara!!


 
 Libra63
 
posted on July 1, 2005 01:06:07 PM new
This includes you KD. Don't be so serious.


Main Entry: fa·ce·tious
Pronunciation: f&-'sE-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French facetieux, from facetie jest, from Latin facetia
1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : WAGGISH <just being facetious>

2.: meant to be humorous or funny : not serious <a facetious remark>
synonym see WITTY
- fa·ce·tious·ly adverb
- fa·ce·tious·ness noun

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 kraftdinner
 
posted on July 1, 2005 01:29:19 PM new
Hmmm... so are you saying I was right, Libra?

 
 kiara
 
posted on July 1, 2005 02:09:47 PM new

Happy Canada Day to you too, Kraft!

Hope you're having a great day also, Libra!



 
 
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