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[Kickz]

Maine became the first state this October to legalize buying prescription drugs from abroad.

It's not uncommon for Americans to cross the Canadian border for cheaper medicine, but while the Food and Drug Administration would often turn a blind eye, it remained illegal -- until now.

Now, some are wondering if a system meant to save money could come at the cost of safety.

For years, Robert Rosen received his cholesterol medication that would ordinarily cost $30 a refill for free. Rosen opted into a system that let him order the drugs from Canada. Rosen said, "I never had any side effects, so in my mind, they were all perfectly safe."

It was a partnership between the City of Portland and a Canadian prescription provider, CanaRx. By side-stepping the prescription drug plan offered by his insurance company, Rosen was able to purchase prescribed medications from Canadian pharmacies at significantly lower costs. The City of Portland would cover the entire cost of his medication.

In September 2012, then-Maine Attorney General William Schneider halted the program following growing pressure from pharmaceutical companies. But local lawmakers, concerned with the rising cost of health care stepped in, and earlier this month, they not only reinstated the practice, they made it legal.

Still, the local and national pharmaceutical industry is suing the state over the ruling. They claim it's not just about losing profits, arguing the law "puts Maine residents at risk of serious harm."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_...to-legalize-buying-prescription-drugs-abroad/

Big Pharma to protect us from those unsafe and cheaper Canadian drugs.

 

[Wilsongt]

As if Big Pharma's profits aren't already through the fucking roof as it is... I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month... $60 for medicine for eczema... I had to stopped taking my long-term asthma inhaler because that shits fucking expensive even with insurance.

Yeah, I have no sympathy for drug companies and supposed lost profits.

 

[Fantasmo]

This has all kinds of implications. However if the US pharmaceuticals actually gave a shit, they'd drop prices, which is laughable at best.

 

[Balphon]

Profiteering from the sick and dying creates grotesquely conflicting incentives?

Surely you jest.

 

[wenis]

As if Big Pharma's profits aren't already through the fucking roof as it is... I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month... $60 for medicine for eczema... I had to stopped taking my long-term asthma inhaler because that shits fucking expensive even with insurance.

Yeah, I have no sympathy for drug companies and supposed lost profits.

Oh god I remember having to pay for inhalers. I have two serparate ones I use on almost a daily basis at $60 each a pop.

Thank god I have a hook up or else I'd be broke constantly.

 

[Saintguine]

It is your patriotic duty to get fucked by corporations that jacks up the price of common medication. God bless.

I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month...

Holy fucking shit, are you shitting me?! That's like a 800% markup compared to what I pay in Australia.

 

[shira]

Should we blame the government?
Or blame society?
Or should we blame the images on TV?

No, blame Canada, blame Canada
With all their beady little eyes
And flappin' heads so full of lies

 

[mj1108]

They claim it's not just about losing profits, arguing the law "puts Maine residents at risk of serious harm."

I think it's closer to "oh shit, other states may follow suit".

 

[PAULINK]

As if Big Pharma's profits aren't already through the fucking roof as it is... I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month... $60 for medicine for eczema... I had to stopped taking my long-term asthma inhaler because that shits fucking expensive even with insurance.

Yeah, I have no sympathy for drug companies and supposed lost profits.

Man I remember buying one because I was kinda sick (prescribed to me), I felt absolutely disgusted at the price. I would have declined if it was on my dime, and just lived with it.

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

Holy fucking shit, are you shitting me?! That's like a 800% markup compared to what I pay in Australia.

Big. Pharma.

 

[User 100115]

You guys remember the thread about the scorpion anti venom that cost a woman in Arizona 40 grand a dose and sold in Mexcio for 100 dollars a dose? Good times.

'Merica

 

[Heysoos]

lol sure it's not about profits.

 

[NH Apache]

As if Big Pharma's profits aren't already through the fucking roof as it is... I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month... $60 for medicine for eczema... I had to stopped taking my long-term asthma inhaler because that shits fucking expensive even with insurance.

Yeah, I have no sympathy for drug companies and supposed lost profits.

I assume you're talking about advair. My ventolin now is 20 copay but the smaller albuterol red ones are more! So dumb. A buddy ended up ordering his ventolin from Hong Kong as it was 15 per including shipping! I happen to know that they cost less than 50 cents to make.

 

[Kickz]

This is the ugly side of lobbying. If corporations can justify this kind of thing, then what else can be justified?

 

[Dai101]

You guys remember the thread about the scorpion anti venom that cost a woman in Arizona 40 grand a dose and sold in Mexcio for 100 dollars a dose? Good times.

'Merica

In fact it cost even less:

http://antidotos.com.mx/Alacran-Alacramyn/

$560.00 MXN or $44.00 USD

'Murica, what a joke

 

[mj1108]

You guys remember the thread about the scorpion anti venom that cost a woman in Arizona 40 grand a dose and sold in Mexcio for 100 dollars a dose? Good times.

'Merica

In fact it cost even less:

http://antidotos.com.mx/Alacran-Alacramyn/

$560.00 MXN or $44.00 USD

'Murica, what a joke

Obviously the $40,000 dose is a freedom-'merica-free-market-dose. Obviously nobody wants the commie-socialist-anti-american $44 dose. /s

 

[HolyCheck]

As if Big Pharma's profits aren't already through the fucking roof as it is... I pay nearly $40 for an inhaler each month... $60 for medicine for eczema... I had to stopped taking my long-term asthma inhaler because that shits fucking expensive even with insurance.

Yeah, I have no sympathy for drug companies and supposed lost profits.

What the fuck

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/product.asp?id=14892

price in aus.. and that's the main brand.. theres cheaper generic ones available i'm sure..

that really sucks man.q

 

[antonz]

America pays for the low cost everyone else benefits because the Government rather give handjobs to big pharma than force fair pricing.

 

[Wilsongt]

I assume you're talking about advair. My ventolin now is 20 copay but the smaller albuterol red ones are more! So dumb. A buddy ended up ordering his ventolin from Hong Kong as it was 15 per including shipping! I happen to know that they cost less than 50 cents to make.

Yep. What a stupidly expensive medicine. I use Proair for my fast acting and I paid $42 last time I filled it.

 

[speculawyer]

You guys remember the thread about the scorpion anti venom that cost a woman in Arizona 40 grand a dose and sold in Mexcio for 100 dollars a dose? Good times.

'Merica

Instead of paying, she should just say she doesn't want it and return them a new bottle.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

Price controls and should be standard fare when dealing with pharmaceutical companies. It's standard when dealing a lot of single-payer and tiered systems, but America.
Also to blame, our patent system and the problem of evergreening.

 

[siddx]

In the last couple of years my cousin's eczema has gotten out of control. What used to be just something that flared up on his ankle once in a while has now taken over large portions of his body including his face. It affects his confidence, his happiness, his ability to interact with society, and get a job. Apparently there is a simple treatment for it that could clear it up and change his life dramatically. But of course it costs tens of thousands of dollars, something he can't even come close to being able to afford. So I guess he gets to be stuck with giant red scabbing all over his face instead because PROFITS.

 

[CharlieDigital]

You guys remember the thread about the scorpion anti venom that cost a woman in Arizona 40 grand a dose and sold in Mexcio for 100 dollars a dose? Good times.

'Merica

Right here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=489991

 

[Walshicus]

Pharmaceuticals should just plain be nationalised.

 

[Dali]

I think it's closer to "oh shit, other states may follow suit".

Which would be fine by me. These companies want all the benefits of a global market but don't want the consumers to reap the benefits. Fuck 'em.

 

[Akuun]

Of COURSE it's not for profits! It's because ...medicine from Canada is unsafe! Because... they're a ...t-third world country and totally don't have better health care than the US! Yeah!

 

[Dai101]

Of COURSE it's not for profits! It's because ...medicine from Canada is unsafe! Because... they're a ...t-third world country and totally don't have better health care than the US! Yeah!

The same with that anti venom serum. It's too brown, we have to white it and that adds almost 10000% to the final cost. 'MURICA!

 

[ElRenoRaven]

Gee big businesses trying to stomp out competition. Who would have thought that they'd do that. I certainly never./s

Now that said I hope Maine fights these fuckers. I really do.

 

[Divvy]

What you Americans don't realize is that all our Canadian drugs are placebos.

You have to have the tremendous natural Canadian willpower to make them effective.

 

[jimi_dini]

Thanks Opharma

 

[Patryn]

America pays for the low cost everyone else benefits because the Government rather give handjobs to big pharma than force fair pricing.

Yeah, this could be the blowback. Our inflated prices were designed to compensate for the lower prices that the rest of the world charges.

What will happen if the US catches up and decides to stop letting Big Pharma gouge the shit out of us?