Remember when Prescriptions were filled in Canada?

[mikeofaustin]

Do you remember many years ago when the news stations took mark on the seniors citizens for taking a short drive and filling their prescriptions on the other side of the border in Canada?

What's your opinions?


lets keep it civil folks.

 

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[pygmy]

I thought they still were with bus trips organised for that purpose and American nursing home residents
banding together to get further bulk buy discounts on-line.
What I found disgraceful were claims of tampering and inferiority of these Canadian sourced drugs by American companies.

 

[stefen]

The same opportunities are available in Mexico...

Stories abound regarding the quality or outdated meds...might be some truth...maybe, maybe not.

I'm sure if you were retired with a limited income you'd be taking advantage of this op.

 

[Saturna]

'60 minutes' did a story on Florida the other week. Seems there are entire streets that are full of drug stores that sell to people that are addicted to prescription drugs, and plenty of dodgy doctors who will write you the prescription.


One of those shows did a story about Canadian drugs being much cheaper than the US counterparts even though the company making them was the same one, and folks that would get them there.
Of course the US drug companies claimed inferior quality, etc.

 

[pygmy]

'60 minutes' did a story on Florida the other week. Seems there are entire streets that are full of drug stores that sell to people that are addicted to prescription drugs, and plenty of dodgy doctors who will write you the prescription.


One of those shows did a story about Canadian drugs being much cheaper than the US counterparts even though the company making them was the same one, and folks that would get them there.
Of course the US drug companies claimed inferior quality, etc.

This may be true but there are 10's of millions of Americans who can't afford hospital/medical bills in general,with
the majority of bankruptcies being medical related,
so some discount on drugs needed for legitimate illnesses are welcome.

 

[Saturna]

Are you saying that American drug companies (and insurance companies) don't have the general public's well-being as their prime concern?

 

[pygmy]

Are you saying that American drug companies (and insurance companies) don't have the general public's well-being as their prime concern?

With the increase in medical tourism the insurance companies are realizing huge savings/profits by outsourcing
hospitalization and operations to other countries like Mexico. Many Mexican hospitals have US accreditation by insurance companies. This has offered Americans cheaper and better services.

Just like you buy your electrical and most goods from China , it's possible they will also supply the cheap airfares to their cheaper hospitals in China.

 

[mikeofaustin]

Are you saying that American drug companies (and insurance companies) don't have the general public's well-being as their prime concern?

Absolutely not.... I think that if the CEO of an insurance company had the option to make 45 million a year, versus 55 million, just to save a few dozen lives, he would surely do the right thing.

what do you thing? Do you agree?

 

[21stTNCav]

I believe a insurance executive would turn down more money at about the same time a politician would. Don't hold your breath on either. The only difference is that we don't vote company exec's into office.

 

[mikeofaustin]

I believe a insurance executive would turn down more money at about the same time a politician would. Don't hold your breath on either. The only difference is that we don't vote company exec's into office.

Yeah, I was being sarcastic. probably a bad thing to do, but I tought 'surely that poster was being sarcastic too'.

shame on me.

 

[Zephyr]

Too bad that CFC inhalers are being banned worldwide instead of just in the USA, otherwise Canada would have been a good alternative to order them from. From what I've read, the new HFA inhalers are terrible (which can be a life-or-death matter for asthma sufferers.)

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

This deal was actually slowed down during the Montreal Protocol in 1987 - when they all made an agreement to change them "little polluting albuterol inhaler". Canada, I believe, managed to push it to 2004, to give them time to come up with a non-polluting way to administer the drug as effectively as the originals (which actually have more spray power). Of course, the price for the new ones is twice what it was before, and more.

Prescriptions are still filled in Canada and Mexico. Buses still go every day, depending on where you are taking the bus from, and the US is not prosecuting citizens.

My son-in-law works for a very large pharmaceutical company - I knew years ago how much my $397.00 a month prescription really costs to make.
Same supplier (from the US) in Canada, for that prescription is $81.00 for a 3 month supply.

In Douglas, Arizona, you just park your car in the Wal~Mart parking lot, and walk across the border, and you are in the pharmacy district. If you have a US prescription, you don't have to do anything but give it to the pharmacist. You get the exact same pills, made by the exact same companies, from the exact same states for much less cost. Dental work is much less, and of good quality, (this is in Aqua Prieta), you can get individual implants for the price of dentures here, and there is alot of great shopping. Most people make a day of it. Same with Canada.

B

 

[mlayers]

You can also do mail order for prescriptions thru Canada. I used to do this years ago. Just havr to do some research and contact them and then send in your prescription from the Dr and they will fill it. When you call them they will tell you how much it is over the phone. If it is cheaper you order it.....Matt

 

[Monty]

You can still mail order from Canada. I do it all the time. You just have to fax them a RX. One of my medicines cost me $1500.00 a month if I buy it here in the USA. From Canada I can get the generic brand for $199.00 and that's without even using insurance or medicare! The USA drug company that makes it does not offer the generic to us in the USA. There is a rider to one of the drug bills that will outlaw RX drugs from Canada if it remains when and if that damnable bill ever passes. Then me and thousands of fellow seniors may not be able to afford our medicine. M nty

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Regardless of how we eat, etc., not all blood pressures can be brought into line, as is the case with many other diseases of being older. Things break down, we don't get all our vitamins etc., in our food, because the systems don't do their jobs as well. Just a fact of age.

Of course, we can always do everything we can to slow down and make better, that aging process, but, we cannot beat it - yet.

Regardless of laws, if they start prosecuting Americans for getting prescriptions in Canada or Mexico - all we would end up with is a bunch of older criminals - some people cannot afford American prices - period. The alternative is - we don't take what we need and we die - - - - -

hmmmmmm - maybe that's what they want.

B

 

[peacock]

I remember. It is still going on. The poorer you are or the richer, are fine. Us others in the middle?

 

[peacock]

Regardless of how we eat, etc., not all blood pressures can be brought into line, as is the case with many other diseases of being older. Things break down, we don't get all our vitamins etc., in our food, because the systems don't do their jobs as well. Just a fact of age.

Of course, we can always do everything we can to slow down and make better, that aging process, but, we cannot beat it - yet.

Regardless of laws, if they start prosecuting Americans for getting prescriptions in Canada or Mexico - all we would end up with is a bunch of older criminals - some people cannot afford American prices - period. The alternative is - we don't take what we need and we die - - - - -

hmmmmmm - maybe that's what they want.


You are so right.

 

[paratrooper]

The bottom line is GRAY MARKET . It's done worldwide . As for generics , I believe that generic is not LEGALLY available if the company still has a legal patent (unexpired) . I "think" any generics that show up before the patent expires are bootleg .

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Paratrooper,

I understand and agree - to a point.

The fact is, the company that holds the patent MAY make their own generic version, or sell the right to make a generic, to anyone they please.
Then, they get a percentage of the sales. Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson do that all the time.

B

 

[Monty]

There is a flaw somewhere because I am getting the same relief with the so called bootleg drugs as I would with the expensive USA stuff. And when you think of it, it really isn't bootleg drugs because our patent laws don't mean squat to another country. We have no authority to enforce our drug laws in another country unless of course there is something in the way of a treaty or agreement. Only when the drugs hit our shores do we have the right to regulate them. And by not allowing them is a big boost for the drug company's lobby. And how many palms do you think are greased in DC? Monty