Where was McCain on this when Bush was shoving his Medicare Prescription Drug Part D scam and debacle down the taxpayers' throats?

Bush would not allow any way of obtaining the drugs for the senior Medicare Prescription program using any kind of a discount method because Bush only put that program out there to make billions for the pharmceutical companies and to take the cost away from the corporations who were paying for their retirees' prescription drug coverage.

Bush could give a s--t whether or not senior citizens were able to get a prescription drug discount via his scam program or if the U.S. taxpayer would be forced to now cover the HUGE cost of the Medicare Prescription drug program that previously had the costs covered by corportions and big pharma.

Bush would not even allow Medicare to bargain to get the cost of drugs down like the VA and other groups were allowed to do. Why? Because the pharmaceuticals told Bush they wanted to keep the cost of drugs on the Medicare program as high as possible so they could make billions off of the program even though the U.S. taxpayer had to cover the costs.

Big pharma and the insurance companies donated BIG TIME to Bush's elections to make sure this program saw the light of day after he was make President and Bush was more than happy to do so.

The drugs used in Canada are made by U.S. pharmaceuticals so we would only be insourcing our own U.S. drugs back into this market. Bush wouldn't allow it because big pharma didn't want any kind of a drug discount to be passed on to the citizens of our country. Sleezy or what!

Where was McCain then?

.............McCain is a day late and a dollar short.......

I thought McCain meant re-importing the drugs we're buying for the grateful iraqis and giving to them free.
I'm sure there are great pharmacies in those bountiful and incredibly safe Baghdad markets.

If we want to reduce the cost of medications in the US we need to streamline the drug approval process. Streamlining the process will undoubtedly result in more drug related morbidities and perhaps deaths. Currently we pay the price for the level of proof of efficacy and safety we require from New Drug Applicants. (which can arguably be portrayed as insufficent without large scale phase IV trials) The organization keeping us safe, the FDA, is the same that is slowing down the drug approval process.
On another note, I unfortunately don't understand how allowing drugs available in Canada to cross the border will reduce drug costs here, but I may be missing the point. Can someone clarify this pattern of thinking or is McCain just a moron?

Another way to limit drug costs would be to ban Direct To Consumer Advertising. In 2000 2.5 billion was spent in DTCA, a cost that is picked up not only by those who take those prescriptions but by everyone who pays an insurance premium.

If we want to reduce the cost of medications in the US we need to streamline the drug approval process. Streamlining the process will undoubtedly result in more drug related morbidities and perhaps deaths.

Canada's drugs (identical in formulation to ours)are cheaper because, as the largest purchaser, as well as the deciderer of patent lengths the government can negotiate a better price. Sort of like washington and Medicare can do except they're not godless communists out to destroy the free market and save its citizens a few bucks.

Canada's drugs (identical in formulation to ours)are cheaper because, as the largest purchaser, as well as the deciderer of patent lengths the government can negotiate a better price. Sort of like washington and Medicare can do except they're not godless communists out to destroy the free market and save its citizens a few bucks.

Posted by northguy3 at 2007-11-18 12:15 AM | Reply | Flag:

North, not only that, but Canada imports a lot of drugs right from the US and they can be bought and re-imported for LESS that if you buy them here.

The opposers use the fear tactic "you're buying unsafe drugs from China" which is pure bullshit.

you ask "Can someone clarify this pattern of thinking or is McCain just a moron?"

my Coreg pill costs .92 ea. from Canada, or I can buy at Walmart for 2.09 ea. in USA (Walmart is cheapest in USA}

Coreg, required for my heart, I take twice a day (I have pig valves in my heart) So $1.84 a day from Canada or $4.18 here. is that clear?

*****On another note, I unfortunately don't understand how allowing drugs available in Canada to cross the border will reduce drug costs here, but I may be missing the point. Can someone clarify this pattern of thinking or is McCain just a moron?

Posted by Novastiv*****

.....the pharma co's have congress paid & bought for.....

.....they pass laws saying they can keep patents longer than anywhere in the world.....

......and charge anything they want......

......in Canada & other countries the govts limit the price gouging permmited by patent protection.......

........McCain is advocating reform.....but not too much of it........

........because too much reform might slow the pharma money pouring into political coffers......

............simple quid pro quo............

We must buy our drugs over here where profit is key than to buy drugs over there where peoples health is key.

Larry Mohr

Please be aware that most of the drugs sold here in the US are NOT manufactured here. These drugs are imported in bulk from the country of origin, be it China, Mexico, Germnany, etc and then package by the
US importing identity. Drugs to be sold in the US may also be packaged in Canada or Mexico and the imported into the US.
The threat to the safety of US citizens as poised by imported drugs ONLY is apparent when these drugs are purchased by US citizens in Canada for far less money than they cost in the US. These same drugs are suddenly no threat to US citizens when imported by a big drug company and sold to US citizens in the US at the higher price.
I am moved at the concern for my safety as shown by the drug industry. So moved that I ran out and bought a chunk of stock in each of three of the majors. If you can't beat them join them. Maybe this stock purchase will help me afford the drugs my wife needs. She is in the donut hole and the drugs cost
about $500 a month.

Where was McCain on this when Bush was shoving his Medicare Prescription Drug Part D scam and debacle down the taxpayers' throats?


Hiding like a coward?

Prediction - should McCaint on the outside chance become potus look for the status quo to be maintained.

This is just another political gimmick from the party of political gimmicks.

Ya know like other political gimmicks like....

Fiscal conservatism

No nation building

Etc.

This is such bullshit, especially for a serving legislator. Importing drugs from Canada is a work-around for a dysfunctional domestic policy. It's admitting that you don't have the balls to actually come up with a solution. I'm stunned that a candidate for President would actually admit that it's the best he can come up with.

Stick a fork in this guy already, he's done.

Competition is good. Or thats what the Conservatives used to say.

Atleast he is saying it now.

Again, taking the slime special interest out of Washington will solve most of our problems.