Sunday, January 04, 2004

From the New Britain (CT) Herald:
U.S.-Canada drug war rages on
Though new Medicare drug benefits may provide marginal cost relief to some seniors, a Canadian pharmacy group said the program is "complicated and fraught with gaps, and that seniors can still save the most by buying their prescriptions from Canada."

"When you actually do the math and add up the monthly co-pays and annual deductibles, you discover that the coverage is not all that substantial and the gap in the middle completely abandons a lot of patients," said David McKay, executive director, Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA), a trade group representing pharmacies serving American and Canadian patients. "You almost need a degree in calculus to understand the fine details of this plan. People are going to realize that it’s simpler and more affordable to buy their drugs from Canada."

From the Baltimore Sun:
Busy medicine trade alleged to hurt Canada
Critics in Manitoba say huge U.S. demand is drying up supplies; Drug firm retaliation blamed; Boom has raised pay of druggists beyond reach of rural stores, they say

From the Boston Globe:
Leaving office, but not the fight
Mayor Michael Albano cleaned out his desk at Springfield City Hall yesterday in preparation for giving up his office on Monday, but even as he loaded boxes with memorabilia and accepted calls from well-wishers, he made it clear he will remain a thorn in the side of big US drug companies.

Albano burst onto the national media stage in July with his one-of-a-kind program to import prescription drugs from Canada for city employees and retirees, launching the money-saving plan even though the Food and Drug Administration said it was illegal.

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