Tuesday, October 07, 2003

From USA Today:
Once just a trickle, Canada's Rx drugs pouring into USA
It began as a novelty: grannies riding buses to Canada in search of cheaper medicines. But today, that search has mushroomed into a cross-border war that pits desperate consumers and defiant state and local governments against the powerful pharmaceutical industry and the Bush administration.

From just a few million dollars a year in 2000, the importation of price-controlled drugs from Canada has grown to a projected $800 million this year and shows no signs of letting up. "I've never in my wildest dreams imagined an industry like this," says Andy Troszok, a pharmacist in Calgary, and vice president of an exporters' trade group.

From the Washington Times:
Canadian prescriptions mushroom into U.S.
The value of prescription drugs being imported to the United States from Canada is projected to hit $800 million this year, USA Today reported Tuesday.

For drugmakers, the risk is not simply the loss of money through Canadian sales. Imports remain a tiny share of the overall U.S. drug market, which is expected to exceed $200 billion this year. More threatening is the potential collapse of a price structure that allows drugmakers to charge as much as possible in the United States while complying with government price controls in other countries

From WBBM (IL):
Illinois Working With Canada on Prescription Drugs
A delegation of Illinois health and policy officials is visiting Canada this week as part of a study on the merits of letting state employees and retirees buy prescription drugs from Canadian companies.

From WBAY (WI):
New Business Offers Prescription Drugs at Canadian Prices
A new business opened its doors Tuesday in Green Bay with the promise of selling cheaper prescription drugs by getting them from outside the country. Customers order their drugs locally, but the prescriptions are filled and then shipped to them from Canada at cheaper prices.

From WPOM (AR):
Tulsa District Court to Decide Rx Depot's Fate
A U.S. District judge is set to decide whether or not to issue a nationwide injunction that would close down all Rx Depots.

Rx Depot re-imports prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies, costing consumers 50% to 60% less.

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