Canadian Prescription Drug Worries

[jeffrey]

Canadians must stop Americans from using Internet pharmacies to raid its medicine chest or face a drug shortage, a coalition of Canadian groups representing seniors, pharmacies and patients has warned.

The groups, claiming to represent 10 million Canadians, or about one-third the population, called on the Canadian government Monday to ban prescription drug exports.

They argue that Canada cannot afford to address U.S. drug shortages and soaring prescription costs with its own drugs, which are often considerably cheaper for Americans because of Canadian price controls.

An estimated 65 million Americans, most elderly, don't have drug insurance coverage or can't afford drugs in the United States. Internet pharmacies and Canadian doctors willing to write prescriptions for Americans send an estimated $1 billion a year in Canadian drugs south of the border... [read more at usatoday.com]