From The Age (Australia):
Pharmacists to the rescue in medical mix-ups
Pharmacists could be saving hundreds of lives each year by advising patients not to follow their doctors' orders, a study has found.
An analysis of eight major Australian hospitals found that 15 patients avoided death in one month because of intervention by pharmacists who second-guessed prescriptions supplied by doctors.
An independent clinical panel at each hospital considered the changes that the pharmacists made to be life-saving.
The director of pharmacy at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Michael Dooley, tracked almost 25,000 patients in one month. In that time, the intervention of pharmacists also reduced the potential for patients to be readmitted to hospital 156 times, and reduced the length of hospital stays on 88 occasions.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
From the Winnipeg Sun:
Growth in Net drugs
The governor of New Hampshire is the latest American politician to urge citizens with no medical insurance to buy their drugs from Canadian Internet pharmacies -- the majority of which are located in Manitoba. Gov. Craig Benson is also endorsing mail-order pharmacy CanadaDrugs.com located in Winnipeg after sending two pharmacists here last month, the Portsmouth Herald reported.
Benson and the state's human services commissioner concluded the Internet company was safe, efficient and inexpensive, despite claims to the contrary by some American drug manufacturers and pharmacists, according to the Herald.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Senate pursues drugs plan
The Maryland Senate took a step yesterday toward helping thousands of residents buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, granting preliminary approval to legislation requiring state health officials to seek federal permission for an importation plan.
Prescription medications can be 50 percent cheaper in Canada, where they are purchased by the national government at a lower price. U.S. law prohibits individuals or governments from buying foreign medications, but Maryland could join a growing number of states bucking that rule.
From the Sacramento Bee:
Editorial: Canadian bandwagon
Hmmm. Is that a trend we detect? Is the pharmaceutical industry listening?
The political support for maintaining a federal law that bans the importation of prescription drugs from other countries such as Canada is crumbling. Sacramento County is among the many local and state governments that are wondering whether to openly violate this law in order to lower their skyrocketing pharmaceutical costs. (The county in its clinics dispenses more than 1,500 prescriptions every day.) Meanwhile in Washington, staunch defenders of the drug industry, such as Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, are softening their stand.
Growth in Net drugs
The governor of New Hampshire is the latest American politician to urge citizens with no medical insurance to buy their drugs from Canadian Internet pharmacies -- the majority of which are located in Manitoba. Gov. Craig Benson is also endorsing mail-order pharmacy CanadaDrugs.com located in Winnipeg after sending two pharmacists here last month, the Portsmouth Herald reported.
Benson and the state's human services commissioner concluded the Internet company was safe, efficient and inexpensive, despite claims to the contrary by some American drug manufacturers and pharmacists, according to the Herald.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Senate pursues drugs plan
The Maryland Senate took a step yesterday toward helping thousands of residents buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, granting preliminary approval to legislation requiring state health officials to seek federal permission for an importation plan.
Prescription medications can be 50 percent cheaper in Canada, where they are purchased by the national government at a lower price. U.S. law prohibits individuals or governments from buying foreign medications, but Maryland could join a growing number of states bucking that rule.
From the Sacramento Bee:
Editorial: Canadian bandwagon
Hmmm. Is that a trend we detect? Is the pharmaceutical industry listening?
The political support for maintaining a federal law that bans the importation of prescription drugs from other countries such as Canada is crumbling. Sacramento County is among the many local and state governments that are wondering whether to openly violate this law in order to lower their skyrocketing pharmaceutical costs. (The county in its clinics dispenses more than 1,500 prescriptions every day.) Meanwhile in Washington, staunch defenders of the drug industry, such as Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, are softening their stand.
From the Sarasota (FL) Herald Tribune:
N.H. Governor details Canadian drug purchases, FDA reacts
Gov. Craig Benson used his credit card to order a half-dozen brand-name medicines online from a Canadian mail-order pharmacy and had them mailed to his home.
"I was just any public citizen as far as they knew," Benson said at a news conference Wednesday.
From WPTV-TV (FL):
Palm Beach County may import prescriptions from Canada for workers
Palm Beach County commissioners decided Tuesday to pursue the possibility of illegally buying prescription drugs from Canada for government employees and retirees, which would put the county at the forefront of the raging national debate over high drug prices.
Commissioners Burt Aaronson and Tony Masilotti dismissed a warning from Assistant County Attorney Tammy Fields that the county would be violating federal law. They said anti-importation rules simply are a result of drug-industry political victories and predicted the county would never be prosecuted for a violation.
From WMAR-TV (MD):
Senate poised to approve bill calling for state mail-order pharmacy
The Senate is poised to approve legislation that would lay the foundation for the state to import Canadian prescription drugs for uninsured Marylanders and state employees. The proposal, however, is pinned on getting the permission of federal health officials, who so far have opposed the practice.
Plowing through a roster of bills with 13 days remaining in the 2004 General Assembly session, senators of both parties gave the bill preliminary approval with a 37-10 vote. If passed, it would then head to the House for consideration.
"It's a fine line between paying your fair share and being a chump," said Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican.
From Newhouse News:
Congress May Vote This Summer on Prescription Drug Imports
Congress' search for a cure for the surging costs of prescription drugs has always stopped at the border.
Some seniors have skirted U.S. law by mail-ordering cheaper prescription medicines from Canada and Mexico. City mayors and the state of Minnesota have sought budget savings by buying foreign drugs for public employees.
N.H. Governor details Canadian drug purchases, FDA reacts
Gov. Craig Benson used his credit card to order a half-dozen brand-name medicines online from a Canadian mail-order pharmacy and had them mailed to his home.
"I was just any public citizen as far as they knew," Benson said at a news conference Wednesday.
From WPTV-TV (FL):
Palm Beach County may import prescriptions from Canada for workers
Palm Beach County commissioners decided Tuesday to pursue the possibility of illegally buying prescription drugs from Canada for government employees and retirees, which would put the county at the forefront of the raging national debate over high drug prices.
Commissioners Burt Aaronson and Tony Masilotti dismissed a warning from Assistant County Attorney Tammy Fields that the county would be violating federal law. They said anti-importation rules simply are a result of drug-industry political victories and predicted the county would never be prosecuted for a violation.
From WMAR-TV (MD):
Senate poised to approve bill calling for state mail-order pharmacy
The Senate is poised to approve legislation that would lay the foundation for the state to import Canadian prescription drugs for uninsured Marylanders and state employees. The proposal, however, is pinned on getting the permission of federal health officials, who so far have opposed the practice.
Plowing through a roster of bills with 13 days remaining in the 2004 General Assembly session, senators of both parties gave the bill preliminary approval with a 37-10 vote. If passed, it would then head to the House for consideration.
"It's a fine line between paying your fair share and being a chump," said Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican.
From Newhouse News:
Congress May Vote This Summer on Prescription Drug Imports
Congress' search for a cure for the surging costs of prescription drugs has always stopped at the border.
Some seniors have skirted U.S. law by mail-ordering cheaper prescription medicines from Canada and Mexico. City mayors and the state of Minnesota have sought budget savings by buying foreign drugs for public employees.
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
From The Hill:
Reimportation makes gains
In a move that could have wide-ranging ramifications in this year’s healthcare debate, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) has begun drafting his own bill to allow for the reimportation of prescription drugs from other countries. The bill, which Gregg plans to unveil in the next few weeks, will be a narrower alternative to a version that passed the House last year.
From CBC.ca:
Canadian team to test if vaccine controls HIV infection
Canadian researchers will test a therapeutic HIV vaccine in the hopes of reducing the need for drug cocktails and their side effects.
Doctors will recruit HIV patients in Ottawa and in Montreal to test the potential vaccine. The therapeutic vaccine isn't meant to prevent HIV but to help people who are already infected.
Reimportation makes gains
In a move that could have wide-ranging ramifications in this year’s healthcare debate, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) has begun drafting his own bill to allow for the reimportation of prescription drugs from other countries. The bill, which Gregg plans to unveil in the next few weeks, will be a narrower alternative to a version that passed the House last year.
From CBC.ca:
Canadian team to test if vaccine controls HIV infection
Canadian researchers will test a therapeutic HIV vaccine in the hopes of reducing the need for drug cocktails and their side effects.
Doctors will recruit HIV patients in Ottawa and in Montreal to test the potential vaccine. The therapeutic vaccine isn't meant to prevent HIV but to help people who are already infected.
From the Portsmouth (NH) Herald:
Benson: Canadian pharmacy a safe source for drugs
Gov. Craig Benson gave his stamp of approval to a Canadian mail-order pharmacy Monday, saying it is a safe alternative for state residents who can’t afford to fill their prescriptions in the United States.
Benson and Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen sent two pharmacists to investigate CanadaDrugs.com, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, last month.
From MLive.com (Mich.):
Lilly steps up battle against Canadian Internet pharmacies
Eli Lilly and Co. has escalated its campaign to curb Canadian drug reimportation by requiring Canadian Internet pharmacies to tell Lilly how much of Lilly's drugs they order from wholesalers or possibly be cut off from supplies.
In a letter to Canadian Internet drug retailers and Lilly's authorized Canadian wholesalers, the Indianapolis-based company outlined a policy to help Lilly more closely track cross-border flow of its drugs, Lilly spokesman Ed Sagebiel said Tuesday.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Senate pursues drugs plan
The Maryland Senate took a step Tuesday toward helping thousands of residents buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, granting preliminary approval to legislation requiring state health officials to seek federal permission for an importation plan.
Prescription medications can be 50 percent cheaper in Canada, where they are purchased by the national government at a lower price. U.S. law prohibits individuals or governments from buying foreign medications, but Maryland could join a growing number of states bucking that rule.
From the Palm Beach (FL) Post:
County considering using medicines from Canada
County commissioners are exploring ways to supply their employees with low-price prescription drugs from Canada despite warnings from their attorneys that the imports are illegal under federal law.
"The fact of the matter is we are paying too much for our drugs," said Commissioner Burt Aaronson, who pushed for staff to research the issue.
The county is not alone in looking to Canada for relief from soaring health-care costs. Cities in Massachusetts and Vermont are defying the law by purchasing brand-name drugs from Canada. Aside from the savings, it's a movement to put pressure on the prescription drug industry and Congress to lower drug prices.
Benson: Canadian pharmacy a safe source for drugs
Gov. Craig Benson gave his stamp of approval to a Canadian mail-order pharmacy Monday, saying it is a safe alternative for state residents who can’t afford to fill their prescriptions in the United States.
Benson and Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen sent two pharmacists to investigate CanadaDrugs.com, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, last month.
From MLive.com (Mich.):
Lilly steps up battle against Canadian Internet pharmacies
Eli Lilly and Co. has escalated its campaign to curb Canadian drug reimportation by requiring Canadian Internet pharmacies to tell Lilly how much of Lilly's drugs they order from wholesalers or possibly be cut off from supplies.
In a letter to Canadian Internet drug retailers and Lilly's authorized Canadian wholesalers, the Indianapolis-based company outlined a policy to help Lilly more closely track cross-border flow of its drugs, Lilly spokesman Ed Sagebiel said Tuesday.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Senate pursues drugs plan
The Maryland Senate took a step Tuesday toward helping thousands of residents buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, granting preliminary approval to legislation requiring state health officials to seek federal permission for an importation plan.
Prescription medications can be 50 percent cheaper in Canada, where they are purchased by the national government at a lower price. U.S. law prohibits individuals or governments from buying foreign medications, but Maryland could join a growing number of states bucking that rule.
From the Palm Beach (FL) Post:
County considering using medicines from Canada
County commissioners are exploring ways to supply their employees with low-price prescription drugs from Canada despite warnings from their attorneys that the imports are illegal under federal law.
"The fact of the matter is we are paying too much for our drugs," said Commissioner Burt Aaronson, who pushed for staff to research the issue.
The county is not alone in looking to Canada for relief from soaring health-care costs. Cities in Massachusetts and Vermont are defying the law by purchasing brand-name drugs from Canada. Aside from the savings, it's a movement to put pressure on the prescription drug industry and Congress to lower drug prices.
From the Canadian Press:
Health groups call on Martin to ban Internet pharmacies
The federal government should ban Internet pharmacies because the industry is putting the health of Canadians at risk, a group of health-care advocates said Tuesday.
The Canadian Treatment Action Council, an advocacy and education group for people living with HIV/AIDS, and the Canadian Hemophilia Society were among six groups that called on Prime Minister Paul Martin in a news release to outlaw the pharmacies.
From the Miami Herald:
Palm Beach commissioners consider illegal Canadian prescriptions
Palm Beach County commissioners decided Tuesday to pursue the possibility of illegally buying prescription drugs from Canada for government employees.
Such a move would put the county at the front of the angry national debate over prescription drug prices.
Assistant County Attorney Tammy Fields warned that it would violate federal law, but Commissioners Tony Masilotti predicted the county would never be prosecuted, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
From the AARP Bulletin:
Drug Companies Cut Canadian Supply
Older Americans who rely on Canadian pharmacies to obtain prescription drugs at prices they can afford have reacted in anger and alarm to the news that Pfizer has choked off their pipeline.
Four other drugmakers have tried to limit supplies to Canadian pharmacies that sell by mail order to Americans, but Pfizer is the first to make a total boycott succeed.
Health groups call on Martin to ban Internet pharmacies
The federal government should ban Internet pharmacies because the industry is putting the health of Canadians at risk, a group of health-care advocates said Tuesday.
The Canadian Treatment Action Council, an advocacy and education group for people living with HIV/AIDS, and the Canadian Hemophilia Society were among six groups that called on Prime Minister Paul Martin in a news release to outlaw the pharmacies.
From the Miami Herald:
Palm Beach commissioners consider illegal Canadian prescriptions
Palm Beach County commissioners decided Tuesday to pursue the possibility of illegally buying prescription drugs from Canada for government employees.
Such a move would put the county at the front of the angry national debate over prescription drug prices.
Assistant County Attorney Tammy Fields warned that it would violate federal law, but Commissioners Tony Masilotti predicted the county would never be prosecuted, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
From the AARP Bulletin:
Drug Companies Cut Canadian Supply
Older Americans who rely on Canadian pharmacies to obtain prescription drugs at prices they can afford have reacted in anger and alarm to the news that Pfizer has choked off their pipeline.
Four other drugmakers have tried to limit supplies to Canadian pharmacies that sell by mail order to Americans, but Pfizer is the first to make a total boycott succeed.
Monday, March 29, 2004
From WNNE-TV (NH):
Report Finds Canadian Pharmacy Safe, Clean
Gov. Craig Benson said Monday that a Canadian mail-order pharmacy provides safe prescription drugs at less cost than American pharmacies.
The governor released a fact-finding report from a pair of local pharmacists that visited CanadaDrugs.com in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of an ongoing effort to introduce cheaper, imported medicine to New Hampshire patients.
"Canada is not a third-world country, as some people in the drug industry might have us believe," Benson said.
From the Californian.com:
Salinas writes prescription for rocketing drug prices
Salinas retiree Ed Maples, 84, says he spends 70 percent of his pension and Social Security payment each month on prescription drugs and his health insurance premium.
His problem is one that two California Assemblymen hope to fix with their plan for lowering skyrocketing prescription drug costs.
Assemblyman Simón Salinas, D-Salinas, and Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, came to Clinica de Salud in Salinas on Friday to plug a package of bills called the "Affordable Prescription Drug Act of 2004."
From the Miami Herald:
Senior Citizens Increase Pressure for Drug-Importation Bill
An elderly couple sit on their living room couch, quietly eating their dinners from trays as they watch vivid television images of police using dogs to make a drug bust.
The announcer first warns of the high cost of illegal drugs to society, then quickly switches gears to call for lowering the price of prescription drugs, chiefly by allowing the importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada.
From Innovations Report:
U of T researchers one step closer to creating oral insulin
University of Toronto researchers have shown that "designer molecules" can interact with the body’s insulin receptor, a step toward the development of an oral medication for diabetes.
U of T professors Lakshmi Kotra, Cecil Yip, Peter Ottensmeyer and Robert Batey have created the first small molecules using the three-dimensional structure of the insulin receptor. A receptor is the site on the surface of a cell to which molecules with specific tasks, such as hormones, attach themselves. Insulin’s task is to initiate the utilization of sugar in the blood.
Report Finds Canadian Pharmacy Safe, Clean
Gov. Craig Benson said Monday that a Canadian mail-order pharmacy provides safe prescription drugs at less cost than American pharmacies.
The governor released a fact-finding report from a pair of local pharmacists that visited CanadaDrugs.com in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of an ongoing effort to introduce cheaper, imported medicine to New Hampshire patients.
"Canada is not a third-world country, as some people in the drug industry might have us believe," Benson said.
From the Californian.com:
Salinas writes prescription for rocketing drug prices
Salinas retiree Ed Maples, 84, says he spends 70 percent of his pension and Social Security payment each month on prescription drugs and his health insurance premium.
His problem is one that two California Assemblymen hope to fix with their plan for lowering skyrocketing prescription drug costs.
Assemblyman Simón Salinas, D-Salinas, and Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, came to Clinica de Salud in Salinas on Friday to plug a package of bills called the "Affordable Prescription Drug Act of 2004."
From the Miami Herald:
Senior Citizens Increase Pressure for Drug-Importation Bill
An elderly couple sit on their living room couch, quietly eating their dinners from trays as they watch vivid television images of police using dogs to make a drug bust.
The announcer first warns of the high cost of illegal drugs to society, then quickly switches gears to call for lowering the price of prescription drugs, chiefly by allowing the importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada.
From Innovations Report:
U of T researchers one step closer to creating oral insulin
University of Toronto researchers have shown that "designer molecules" can interact with the body’s insulin receptor, a step toward the development of an oral medication for diabetes.
U of T professors Lakshmi Kotra, Cecil Yip, Peter Ottensmeyer and Robert Batey have created the first small molecules using the three-dimensional structure of the insulin receptor. A receptor is the site on the surface of a cell to which molecules with specific tasks, such as hormones, attach themselves. Insulin’s task is to initiate the utilization of sugar in the blood.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
From WCCO-TV (Minn.):
State Program To Buy Canadian Prescription Drugs Is Busy
Officials say that nearly 400 Minnesotans have ordered low-cost prescription drugs from Canada through a state-operated program started two months ago by Governor Pawlenty.
At the same time, the Minnesota RxConnect Web site has been visited more than 67-thousand times, and its phone line has received 14-hundred-and-50 calls.
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
War over drug imports heats up
Congress' search for a cure to the surging costs of prescription drugs has always stopped at the border.
Some seniors have skirted U.S. law by mail-ordering cheaper prescription medicines from Canada and Mexico. City mayors and the state of Minnesota sought budget savings by buying foreign drugs for public employees.
From WGRZ-TV (NY):
Queen City Councilman Wants to Consider Canadian Prescription Plan for Workers
A Common Councilman wants the Queen City to consider Canada when buying prescription drugs for its workers.
In a recent resolution passed by the Common Council, the Buffalo’s Human Resources Commissioner was asked to investigate that possibility, and file a report with the Council no later than April 8th.
"You can get these drugs in Canada at a much lower cost than in the United States," said Delaware District Councilman Marc Coppola.
From Minnesota Public Radio:
Pawlenty vs. the FDA
Minnesota's Web site contains information on two Canadian pharmacies, one in Vancouver and one in Calgary. It's part of Gov. Pawlenty's strategy for streamlining access to cheaper prescription drugs available across the border, where government price controls keep costs down.
The Web site includes an order form that must be printed out and mailed or faxed to the pharmacies. There's no direct link to the two pharmacies, and prescriptions can't be ordered through the Web site. At a prescription drug summit in Washington, D.C., Gov. Pawlenty said the site addresses safety concerns.
"It reflects the work that we have done by going to visit and to evaluate various Canadian pharmacies, to make sure that they are safe and reputable and established and credible," Pawlenty said.
Investment board demands Pfizer end battle against Canadian imports
The State Board of Investment waded into the prescription drug debate by trying to hit Pfizer where it hurts the most -- the bottom line. The board approved a resolution to ask Pfizer shareholders to begin the process of forcing the pharmaceutical company to restructure its global prescription drug pricing system.
The proposal, initiated by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, also calls on Pfizer to continue shipping drugs to all wholesalers in Canada and to fully disclose its lobbying, legal and marketing costs.
Pawlenty says the state will now take the resolution to the company's annual meeting, with the hopes that other shareholders will vote in favor of it. If it gets enough shareholder support, Pawlenty says it would force Pfizer to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S.
State Program To Buy Canadian Prescription Drugs Is Busy
Officials say that nearly 400 Minnesotans have ordered low-cost prescription drugs from Canada through a state-operated program started two months ago by Governor Pawlenty.
At the same time, the Minnesota RxConnect Web site has been visited more than 67-thousand times, and its phone line has received 14-hundred-and-50 calls.
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
War over drug imports heats up
Congress' search for a cure to the surging costs of prescription drugs has always stopped at the border.
Some seniors have skirted U.S. law by mail-ordering cheaper prescription medicines from Canada and Mexico. City mayors and the state of Minnesota sought budget savings by buying foreign drugs for public employees.
From WGRZ-TV (NY):
Queen City Councilman Wants to Consider Canadian Prescription Plan for Workers
A Common Councilman wants the Queen City to consider Canada when buying prescription drugs for its workers.
In a recent resolution passed by the Common Council, the Buffalo’s Human Resources Commissioner was asked to investigate that possibility, and file a report with the Council no later than April 8th.
"You can get these drugs in Canada at a much lower cost than in the United States," said Delaware District Councilman Marc Coppola.
From Minnesota Public Radio:
Pawlenty vs. the FDA
Minnesota's Web site contains information on two Canadian pharmacies, one in Vancouver and one in Calgary. It's part of Gov. Pawlenty's strategy for streamlining access to cheaper prescription drugs available across the border, where government price controls keep costs down.
The Web site includes an order form that must be printed out and mailed or faxed to the pharmacies. There's no direct link to the two pharmacies, and prescriptions can't be ordered through the Web site. At a prescription drug summit in Washington, D.C., Gov. Pawlenty said the site addresses safety concerns.
"It reflects the work that we have done by going to visit and to evaluate various Canadian pharmacies, to make sure that they are safe and reputable and established and credible," Pawlenty said.
Investment board demands Pfizer end battle against Canadian imports
The State Board of Investment waded into the prescription drug debate by trying to hit Pfizer where it hurts the most -- the bottom line. The board approved a resolution to ask Pfizer shareholders to begin the process of forcing the pharmaceutical company to restructure its global prescription drug pricing system.
The proposal, initiated by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, also calls on Pfizer to continue shipping drugs to all wholesalers in Canada and to fully disclose its lobbying, legal and marketing costs.
Pawlenty says the state will now take the resolution to the company's annual meeting, with the hopes that other shareholders will vote in favor of it. If it gets enough shareholder support, Pawlenty says it would force Pfizer to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S.
Saturday, March 27, 2004
From the Buffalo News:
City looks into drug imports
The city is studying the feasibility of importing prescription drugs from Canada in hopes of reducing employee health care costs, Mayor Anthony M. Masiello said Friday.
He was responding to a resolution filed this month by Common Council Majority Leader Marc A. Coppola, who noted that other cities and states are taking steps to implement such programs.
"I think it's an idea worth pursuing," said Masiello. "We have some people looking into the issue now."
City looks into drug imports
The city is studying the feasibility of importing prescription drugs from Canada in hopes of reducing employee health care costs, Mayor Anthony M. Masiello said Friday.
He was responding to a resolution filed this month by Common Council Majority Leader Marc A. Coppola, who noted that other cities and states are taking steps to implement such programs.
"I think it's an idea worth pursuing," said Masiello. "We have some people looking into the issue now."
Friday, March 26, 2004
From the Globe and Mail:
Depression fastest-growing diagnosis, report says
Nearly 350,000 visits by young Canadians to family physicians last year resulted in recommendations that they take antidepressant drugs that are not clinically indicated for people under 20 and that research suggests may actually increase their likelihood of suicide.
The figures come from a report released yesterday by IMS Health that listed depression as the fastest-growing diagnosis at doctors' offices across Canada. Canadians with the illness received more than seven million recommendations from doctors in 2003 to treat the problem with drugs.
Depression fastest-growing diagnosis, report says
Nearly 350,000 visits by young Canadians to family physicians last year resulted in recommendations that they take antidepressant drugs that are not clinically indicated for people under 20 and that research suggests may actually increase their likelihood of suicide.
The figures come from a report released yesterday by IMS Health that listed depression as the fastest-growing diagnosis at doctors' offices across Canada. Canadians with the illness received more than seven million recommendations from doctors in 2003 to treat the problem with drugs.
From CBC Manitoba:
Web pharmacists vow to fight for cross-border sales
Representatives of Canadian Internet pharmacies say despite powerful pressure, they won't abandon the lucrative U.S. market.
Online companies say pharmaceutical manufacturers are trying to stop them from selling their drugs to Americans at a cheaper price. The web pharmacies are also fighting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is telling Americans that Canadian drugs are not as safe as the ones they can buy at home.
From the Globe & Mail:
Internet pharmacy sales to U.S. more than double, study shows
Canada's Internet pharmacy industry more than doubled its sales to the United States last year, according to the first published study of annual growth in the cross-border trade.
Figures released yesterday by IMS Health show that the business of selling drugs to Americans over the Internet was worth at least $566-million for wholesalers in 2003, up from $251-million in 2002.
From the Montreal Gazette:
Prescriptions rise by 7.9%
Canadians bought a record number of prescription drugs in 2003, and Quebecers are most likely to walk out of their pharmacy with a brand-name drug, not a cheaper generic substitute.
IMS Health, and industry research group, said Canadian retail pharmacies filled 361 million prescriptions during the year - a jump of 7.9 per cent over 2002, the largest gain in the last decade.
From the Calgary Herald:
Hospital staff believe many mistakes hidden
More than two of every three health-care workers in the Calgary Health Region believe the bulk of errors committed inside hospitals -- primarily mis-reading labels and confusing sound-alike drugs -- go unreported.
A survey released Thursday by the CHR found 40 per cent of respondents said feelings of embarrassment keep them from disclosing mistakes.
From the Portsmouth (NH) Herald:
Benson, N.H. await Canadian drug report
An investigation by state officials is expected to show that reimporting medicine from Canada is safe, but the report won’t be released for another week, Gov. Craig Benson said Thursday.
"I think there’s a lot of questions in New Hampshire," Benson said. "Hopefully we’re going to have some answers for them based on some investigations that we’ve done on our own."
Web pharmacists vow to fight for cross-border sales
Representatives of Canadian Internet pharmacies say despite powerful pressure, they won't abandon the lucrative U.S. market.
Online companies say pharmaceutical manufacturers are trying to stop them from selling their drugs to Americans at a cheaper price. The web pharmacies are also fighting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is telling Americans that Canadian drugs are not as safe as the ones they can buy at home.
From the Globe & Mail:
Internet pharmacy sales to U.S. more than double, study shows
Canada's Internet pharmacy industry more than doubled its sales to the United States last year, according to the first published study of annual growth in the cross-border trade.
Figures released yesterday by IMS Health show that the business of selling drugs to Americans over the Internet was worth at least $566-million for wholesalers in 2003, up from $251-million in 2002.
From the Montreal Gazette:
Prescriptions rise by 7.9%
Canadians bought a record number of prescription drugs in 2003, and Quebecers are most likely to walk out of their pharmacy with a brand-name drug, not a cheaper generic substitute.
IMS Health, and industry research group, said Canadian retail pharmacies filled 361 million prescriptions during the year - a jump of 7.9 per cent over 2002, the largest gain in the last decade.
From the Calgary Herald:
Hospital staff believe many mistakes hidden
More than two of every three health-care workers in the Calgary Health Region believe the bulk of errors committed inside hospitals -- primarily mis-reading labels and confusing sound-alike drugs -- go unreported.
A survey released Thursday by the CHR found 40 per cent of respondents said feelings of embarrassment keep them from disclosing mistakes.
From the Portsmouth (NH) Herald:
Benson, N.H. await Canadian drug report
An investigation by state officials is expected to show that reimporting medicine from Canada is safe, but the report won’t be released for another week, Gov. Craig Benson said Thursday.
"I think there’s a lot of questions in New Hampshire," Benson said. "Hopefully we’re going to have some answers for them based on some investigations that we’ve done on our own."
From the Winnipeg Sun:
Pharmacare faces squeeze
Faced with ballooning prescription drug costs, the province is considering changes to the Pharmacare program -- including tightening eligibility requirements and raising deductibles, says Health Minister Dave Chomiak. "We're looking at every option available to us," Chomiak said yesterday. "We want to maintain a few fundamental principles, and that is we want to get as many drugs to as many people as when can."
From the Boston Globe:
Drug lobby outspends all others in Mass.
Lobbyists representing drug companies and pharmacies outspent all other industries, shelling out nearly $1 million trying to influence the Massachusetts Legislature during 2003, according to an analysis to be released today.
Lobbyists and executives for those industries also spent at least $30,000 on combined campaign contributions to Governor Mitt Romney, House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini between 2000 and 2003, according to the analysis by the Massachusetts Money and Politics Project.
Pharmacare faces squeeze
Faced with ballooning prescription drug costs, the province is considering changes to the Pharmacare program -- including tightening eligibility requirements and raising deductibles, says Health Minister Dave Chomiak. "We're looking at every option available to us," Chomiak said yesterday. "We want to maintain a few fundamental principles, and that is we want to get as many drugs to as many people as when can."
From the Boston Globe:
Drug lobby outspends all others in Mass.
Lobbyists representing drug companies and pharmacies outspent all other industries, shelling out nearly $1 million trying to influence the Massachusetts Legislature during 2003, according to an analysis to be released today.
Lobbyists and executives for those industries also spent at least $30,000 on combined campaign contributions to Governor Mitt Romney, House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini between 2000 and 2003, according to the analysis by the Massachusetts Money and Politics Project.
From the Canadian Press:
Internet pharmacies say they're willing to move to U.S. or expand in Canada
Internet pharmacies could move parts of their operation to the United States, or turn their attention to serving remote areas of Canada, to outmanoeuvre industry opponents, a conference heard Thursday.
The suggestions were just two of several possible scenarios discussed during an informal debate that concluded a two-day Internet pharmacy conference. "The industry will evolve and grow," said Mark Lazar, chief executive of Calgary-based LePharmacy.com
From CTV.ca:
Online pharmacy biz becomes a magnet for fraud
Major players in Canada's online pharmacies are meeting in Winnipeg this week to discuss the problem of rogue websites that are threatening their $4-billion business.
David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, says there's an emerging trend in bogus websites are pretending to be Canadian, but are actually selling American drugs.
From the Toronto Star:
Prescriptions up 8 per cent, largest increase in a decade
Canadian women have drastically cut back on hormone replacement therapy.
And Americans are flocking in record numbers to get cheaper Canadian drugs through the Internet.
These trends are documented in a new report released yesterday by the medical research firm IMS.
Canadians filled 361 million prescriptions at retail pharmacies last year — up 8 per cent from the year before and the largest yearly increase in 10 years. In total, we spent $15.9 billion on prescription drugs, averaging 11 prescriptions per Canadian, according to the report.
From CBC.ca:
Change packages to prevent deadly drug mixups: pharmacist
Drug packaging needs to be changed to prevent drug mixups like the ones earlier this winter that killed two Calgary hospital patients, says a medication advisory group.
The two patients at Foothills Hospital died after being given potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride while receiving dialysis treatment.
From the (New Hampshire) Union Leader:
Benson stays mum on
Canadian drug report
Gov. Craig Benson said yesterday he did not talk to federal Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson about reimporting Canadian drugs on Wednesday, nor did he show him a report indicating the drugs are safe.
The report — which describes how Canadian and U.S. drug samples were sent to New Hampshire’s state crime laboratory for testing and no differences in chemical composition were detected — came to light Wednesday.
From the Lowell (Mass.) Sun:
Lowell board drops idea of buying drugs from Canada idea
The School Committee received a second legal opinion last night advising against the city's involvement in a Canadian drug purchasing program.
The opinion, prepared by Assistant City Solicitor Maria Sheehy, effectively halted city officials' inquiry into the matter.
"I think (the idea) is kind of dead," said School Committee member John Leahy, who had included a motion on last night's agenda that the City Council investigate the matter.
From the Montreal Gazette:
New drugs for impotence act faster, last longer
It's 15 minutes to liftoff with one, and you can go all weekend long with the other. That sums up the two newest competitors to Viagra, one of which was approved for use in Canada 10 days ago.
The latest pill to treat erectile dysfunction is called Levitra, and its makers, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Glaxo Smith Kline, say it goes to work in 15 minutes - less than half the time for Viagra.
From the Toronto Star:
Mood drugs: Harming or helping our children?
Antidepressants may be linked to teen suicides
Health Canada demands stronger label warnings
From SF Gate:
Drug prices -- Balancing profits and responsibility (opinion)
A political tide is turning in Washington. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., at one time fiercely opposed to the purchase of drugs from Canada, proclaimed this month during a Senate hearing that "I cannot explain to my mother any longer why she should pay twice or two-thirds more than what is paid in Canada and Mexico. I'm switching my position."
Lott is not alone. The re-importation of prescription drugs has recently gained broad support from Democrats and Republicans alike. Why are so many lawmakers suddenly switching sides? Have images of senior citizens flocking by the busload to Canada and Mexico to purchase drugs finally jarred their sensibilities?
Internet pharmacies say they're willing to move to U.S. or expand in Canada
Internet pharmacies could move parts of their operation to the United States, or turn their attention to serving remote areas of Canada, to outmanoeuvre industry opponents, a conference heard Thursday.
The suggestions were just two of several possible scenarios discussed during an informal debate that concluded a two-day Internet pharmacy conference. "The industry will evolve and grow," said Mark Lazar, chief executive of Calgary-based LePharmacy.com
From CTV.ca:
Online pharmacy biz becomes a magnet for fraud
Major players in Canada's online pharmacies are meeting in Winnipeg this week to discuss the problem of rogue websites that are threatening their $4-billion business.
David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, says there's an emerging trend in bogus websites are pretending to be Canadian, but are actually selling American drugs.
From the Toronto Star:
Prescriptions up 8 per cent, largest increase in a decade
Canadian women have drastically cut back on hormone replacement therapy.
And Americans are flocking in record numbers to get cheaper Canadian drugs through the Internet.
These trends are documented in a new report released yesterday by the medical research firm IMS.
Canadians filled 361 million prescriptions at retail pharmacies last year — up 8 per cent from the year before and the largest yearly increase in 10 years. In total, we spent $15.9 billion on prescription drugs, averaging 11 prescriptions per Canadian, according to the report.
From CBC.ca:
Change packages to prevent deadly drug mixups: pharmacist
Drug packaging needs to be changed to prevent drug mixups like the ones earlier this winter that killed two Calgary hospital patients, says a medication advisory group.
The two patients at Foothills Hospital died after being given potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride while receiving dialysis treatment.
From the (New Hampshire) Union Leader:
Benson stays mum on
Canadian drug report
Gov. Craig Benson said yesterday he did not talk to federal Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson about reimporting Canadian drugs on Wednesday, nor did he show him a report indicating the drugs are safe.
The report — which describes how Canadian and U.S. drug samples were sent to New Hampshire’s state crime laboratory for testing and no differences in chemical composition were detected — came to light Wednesday.
From the Lowell (Mass.) Sun:
Lowell board drops idea of buying drugs from Canada idea
The School Committee received a second legal opinion last night advising against the city's involvement in a Canadian drug purchasing program.
The opinion, prepared by Assistant City Solicitor Maria Sheehy, effectively halted city officials' inquiry into the matter.
"I think (the idea) is kind of dead," said School Committee member John Leahy, who had included a motion on last night's agenda that the City Council investigate the matter.
From the Montreal Gazette:
New drugs for impotence act faster, last longer
It's 15 minutes to liftoff with one, and you can go all weekend long with the other. That sums up the two newest competitors to Viagra, one of which was approved for use in Canada 10 days ago.
The latest pill to treat erectile dysfunction is called Levitra, and its makers, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Glaxo Smith Kline, say it goes to work in 15 minutes - less than half the time for Viagra.
From the Toronto Star:
Mood drugs: Harming or helping our children?
Antidepressants may be linked to teen suicides
Health Canada demands stronger label warnings
From SF Gate:
Drug prices -- Balancing profits and responsibility (opinion)
A political tide is turning in Washington. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., at one time fiercely opposed to the purchase of drugs from Canada, proclaimed this month during a Senate hearing that "I cannot explain to my mother any longer why she should pay twice or two-thirds more than what is paid in Canada and Mexico. I'm switching my position."
Lott is not alone. The re-importation of prescription drugs has recently gained broad support from Democrats and Republicans alike. Why are so many lawmakers suddenly switching sides? Have images of senior citizens flocking by the busload to Canada and Mexico to purchase drugs finally jarred their sensibilities?
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
From the Champlain (NH) Channel:
State Report Calls Canadian Drugs Safe, Cheap
Armed with a report that indicates that buying prescription drugs from Canada would be cheap and safe, Gov. Craig Benson traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday to meet with federal officials....
...The independent review focused on Canadian pharmacies, as well as the shipping process. To test the research, state officials ordered a number of different prescriptions online from Canada. They filled the same prescriptions from local pharmacies.
Both batches were taken to the state crime lab to look for any differences in the medicine, but Stephen said none were found.
From the Boston Globe:
Boston's leadership on Rx drug pricing (opinon written by Thomas M. Menino, mayor of Boston)
Biotech is a key component of our renowned life sciences and biomedical community, and as a growth industry it is also a key to Boston's future. I applaud the work biotech has done to develop cutting-edge treatments to address previously unsolvable medical problems, and I am proud of Boston's contributions in these areas. My support for the new $124 million biocontainment lab near Boston University Medical School demonstrates my desire to see Boston expand its role as a leader in the biotech industry.
Why, then, do I support a pilot project for importing medicines from Canada?
State Report Calls Canadian Drugs Safe, Cheap
Armed with a report that indicates that buying prescription drugs from Canada would be cheap and safe, Gov. Craig Benson traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday to meet with federal officials....
...The independent review focused on Canadian pharmacies, as well as the shipping process. To test the research, state officials ordered a number of different prescriptions online from Canada. They filled the same prescriptions from local pharmacies.
Both batches were taken to the state crime lab to look for any differences in the medicine, but Stephen said none were found.
From the Boston Globe:
Boston's leadership on Rx drug pricing (opinon written by Thomas M. Menino, mayor of Boston)
Biotech is a key component of our renowned life sciences and biomedical community, and as a growth industry it is also a key to Boston's future. I applaud the work biotech has done to develop cutting-edge treatments to address previously unsolvable medical problems, and I am proud of Boston's contributions in these areas. My support for the new $124 million biocontainment lab near Boston University Medical School demonstrates my desire to see Boston expand its role as a leader in the biotech industry.
Why, then, do I support a pilot project for importing medicines from Canada?
From CTV.ca:
Online pharmacies scramble to save reputations
Major players in Canada's online pharmacies are meeting in Winnipeg this week, to discuss the problem of rogue websites that are threatening their $4 billion business.
David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, says there's an emerging trend in bogus websites are pretending to be Canadian, but are actually selling American drugs.
These sites, he says, are putting pressure on an industry that's trying to prove that it's safe and reliable.
"We have been trying to differentiate ourselves from this 'buyer beware market'," MacKay said.
From KXTV-TV (Calif.):
Canadian Pharmacy Opens Storefront on Arden Way
A Canadian drug company defied federal law to open a storefront operation in Sacramento on Monday. In doing so, it has fired the latest salvo in the prescription drug pricing wars.
Northcare Drugs, which set up shop at 2730 Arden Way, is not a typical drugstore. There are no medications on the shelves. Instead, customers find only phone lines, computers, fax machines and workers taking prescriptions. The orders are send to Canada, with medications arriving by mail seven to 14 days later.
From the (New Hampshire) Union Leader:
Benson report finds
Canadian drugs safe
An “eye-opening” report vouching for the safety of prescription drugs reimported from Canada is in Gov. Craig Benson’s hands, potential ammunition in his attempt to lower drug costs for New Hampshire citizens, a key state official said yesterday.
Benson was in Washington yesterday meeting with federal Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Benson has asked Thompson for waivers that would allow New Hampshire to reimport drugs from Canada.
Online pharmacies scramble to save reputations
Major players in Canada's online pharmacies are meeting in Winnipeg this week, to discuss the problem of rogue websites that are threatening their $4 billion business.
David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, says there's an emerging trend in bogus websites are pretending to be Canadian, but are actually selling American drugs.
These sites, he says, are putting pressure on an industry that's trying to prove that it's safe and reliable.
"We have been trying to differentiate ourselves from this 'buyer beware market'," MacKay said.
From KXTV-TV (Calif.):
Canadian Pharmacy Opens Storefront on Arden Way
A Canadian drug company defied federal law to open a storefront operation in Sacramento on Monday. In doing so, it has fired the latest salvo in the prescription drug pricing wars.
Northcare Drugs, which set up shop at 2730 Arden Way, is not a typical drugstore. There are no medications on the shelves. Instead, customers find only phone lines, computers, fax machines and workers taking prescriptions. The orders are send to Canada, with medications arriving by mail seven to 14 days later.
From the (New Hampshire) Union Leader:
Benson report finds
Canadian drugs safe
An “eye-opening” report vouching for the safety of prescription drugs reimported from Canada is in Gov. Craig Benson’s hands, potential ammunition in his attempt to lower drug costs for New Hampshire citizens, a key state official said yesterday.
Benson was in Washington yesterday meeting with federal Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Benson has asked Thompson for waivers that would allow New Hampshire to reimport drugs from Canada.
From the Canadian Press:
Internet pharmacies try to stay ahead of opponents, Mba. conference hears
Internet pharmacies are fighting to stay a step ahead of their opponents by improving standards, sharing drug supplies and curbing expectations in the United States for cheap online drugs, a conference heard Wednesday.
But critics insist the world's leading drug manufacturers won't stop squeezing the mail-order industry with blacklists, which will lead to eventual drug shortages and price increases for Canadians.
From the Calgary Herald:
CHR meets with pharmacy technicians
The pharmacy technicians who incorrectly mixed the intravenous solutions that killed two hospital patients met behind closed doors Tuesday with Calgary Health Region administrators for the first time since their deadly mistake.
Accompanied by union representatives, employees of the region's central pharmacy were briefed on how a review into their work will unfold in the coming days.
From CBC Manitoba:
Web pharmacy issues debated at conference
The pros and cons of internet pharmacies will be debated by industry and government officials in Winnipeg Wednesday and Thursday.
Officials from governments on both sides of the border, as well as internet pharmacists and representatives from major drug companies have been invited to the Copharm conference to discuss the legal and ethical issues surrounding online pharmacies.
From the (Superior, Wisc.) Daily Telegram:
A national debate on merits of importing prescription drugs from Canada and overseas is overdue (editorial)
The federal government is continuing its heavy-handed approach to Wisconsin and Minnesota over their drug Web sites despite offering no evidence that anyone’s health is at risk by buying prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration blasted Gov. Jim Doyle for helping Wisconsin residents buy much cheaper drugs from Canada, bypassing the FDA’s inspections. The FDA also has sent a sharply worded letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, whose administration designed a Web site that directs residents to two Canadian pharmacies and preceded Doyle’s drug Web site.
From the Lowell (Mass.) Sun:
City Council seeks new legal opinion on Canada drug imports
Massachusetts communities are growing braver in defying the federal government when it comes to purchasing lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada.
Will Lowell be the next?
Six months after the city's solicitor's office advised City Council not to pursue a Canadian drug purchasing program, two Lowell officials have reintroduced the issue.
Internet pharmacies try to stay ahead of opponents, Mba. conference hears
Internet pharmacies are fighting to stay a step ahead of their opponents by improving standards, sharing drug supplies and curbing expectations in the United States for cheap online drugs, a conference heard Wednesday.
But critics insist the world's leading drug manufacturers won't stop squeezing the mail-order industry with blacklists, which will lead to eventual drug shortages and price increases for Canadians.
From the Calgary Herald:
CHR meets with pharmacy technicians
The pharmacy technicians who incorrectly mixed the intravenous solutions that killed two hospital patients met behind closed doors Tuesday with Calgary Health Region administrators for the first time since their deadly mistake.
Accompanied by union representatives, employees of the region's central pharmacy were briefed on how a review into their work will unfold in the coming days.
From CBC Manitoba:
Web pharmacy issues debated at conference
The pros and cons of internet pharmacies will be debated by industry and government officials in Winnipeg Wednesday and Thursday.
Officials from governments on both sides of the border, as well as internet pharmacists and representatives from major drug companies have been invited to the Copharm conference to discuss the legal and ethical issues surrounding online pharmacies.
From the (Superior, Wisc.) Daily Telegram:
A national debate on merits of importing prescription drugs from Canada and overseas is overdue (editorial)
The federal government is continuing its heavy-handed approach to Wisconsin and Minnesota over their drug Web sites despite offering no evidence that anyone’s health is at risk by buying prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration blasted Gov. Jim Doyle for helping Wisconsin residents buy much cheaper drugs from Canada, bypassing the FDA’s inspections. The FDA also has sent a sharply worded letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, whose administration designed a Web site that directs residents to two Canadian pharmacies and preceded Doyle’s drug Web site.
From the Lowell (Mass.) Sun:
City Council seeks new legal opinion on Canada drug imports
Massachusetts communities are growing braver in defying the federal government when it comes to purchasing lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada.
Will Lowell be the next?
Six months after the city's solicitor's office advised City Council not to pursue a Canadian drug purchasing program, two Lowell officials have reintroduced the issue.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
From the Globe and Mail:
New drug to compete with Viagra, Cialis
There's now a threesome in the erectile dysfunction field with the approval of Levitra. Co-developed and co-promoted by Bayer HealthCare and GlaxoSmithKline Inc., the drug will compete with Viagra, the little blue pill made by Pfizer Canada Inc., and Cialis, the drug manufactured by Eli Lilly Canada that has been dubbed "le weekender."
New drug to compete with Viagra, Cialis
There's now a threesome in the erectile dysfunction field with the approval of Levitra. Co-developed and co-promoted by Bayer HealthCare and GlaxoSmithKline Inc., the drug will compete with Viagra, the little blue pill made by Pfizer Canada Inc., and Cialis, the drug manufactured by Eli Lilly Canada that has been dubbed "le weekender."
From CBC.ca:
Patient says drug mixup at Calgary hospital nearly killed him four years ago
A patient has come forward who survived the accidental administration of a deadly drug in a Calgary hospital four years ago. Last week two dialysis patients died when they were administered the wrong drug.
Don Lemna says officials promised to keep the drug under lock and key, and he wants to know why his near-fatal poisoning didn't prompt immediate changes in its handling.
From the Globe and Mail:
Antidepressant users require monitoring, U.S. agency says
Everyone who takes a popular class of antidepressants should be monitored because they may be at increased risk of suicide, U.S. drug regulators are warning.
The public-health advisory raises, by yet another notch, the growing concerns over a class of medications that are among the biggest sellers in the world.
From Fox News:
Minnesota Gov. Fights Drug Companies
Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty hopes to use his state's pension system to take on U.S.-based Pfizer , the world's largest drug company.
Pfizer charges less for its medicines in Canada and other countries than it does in the United States. Pawlenty says that's wrong.
Patient says drug mixup at Calgary hospital nearly killed him four years ago
A patient has come forward who survived the accidental administration of a deadly drug in a Calgary hospital four years ago. Last week two dialysis patients died when they were administered the wrong drug.
Don Lemna says officials promised to keep the drug under lock and key, and he wants to know why his near-fatal poisoning didn't prompt immediate changes in its handling.
From the Globe and Mail:
Antidepressant users require monitoring, U.S. agency says
Everyone who takes a popular class of antidepressants should be monitored because they may be at increased risk of suicide, U.S. drug regulators are warning.
The public-health advisory raises, by yet another notch, the growing concerns over a class of medications that are among the biggest sellers in the world.
From Fox News:
Minnesota Gov. Fights Drug Companies
Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty hopes to use his state's pension system to take on U.S.-based Pfizer , the world's largest drug company.
Pfizer charges less for its medicines in Canada and other countries than it does in the United States. Pawlenty says that's wrong.
From the Toronto Star:
Doctor to probe dialysis deaths
A Manitoba doctor has been called in to help review the deaths of two dialysis patients who were given the wrong solution during their treatment, the Calgary Health Authority announced today.
Dr. Rob Robson, director of patient safety in Winnipeg, will help the Calgary authority investigate the deaths of Kathleen Prowse, 83, and Bart Wassing, 53.
From the Canadian Press:
Man says he's fourth case of patient given wrong solution in Calgary hospital
A top health authority official said Tuesday he wasn't aware of a fourth case involving a man who says he was given potassium chloride in a mixup similar to one that led to the deaths of two dialysis patients.
From the (Phoenix) Arizona Republic:
Canadian-drug seller opens 3rd Valley store
Despite several state warnings and federal disapproval, Joel Korsunsky has opened his third location to sell deeply discounted Canadian pharmaceutical drugs.
Doctor to probe dialysis deaths
A Manitoba doctor has been called in to help review the deaths of two dialysis patients who were given the wrong solution during their treatment, the Calgary Health Authority announced today.
Dr. Rob Robson, director of patient safety in Winnipeg, will help the Calgary authority investigate the deaths of Kathleen Prowse, 83, and Bart Wassing, 53.
From the Canadian Press:
Man says he's fourth case of patient given wrong solution in Calgary hospital
A top health authority official said Tuesday he wasn't aware of a fourth case involving a man who says he was given potassium chloride in a mixup similar to one that led to the deaths of two dialysis patients.
From the (Phoenix) Arizona Republic:
Canadian-drug seller opens 3rd Valley store
Despite several state warnings and federal disapproval, Joel Korsunsky has opened his third location to sell deeply discounted Canadian pharmaceutical drugs.
Monday, March 22, 2004
From the Canadian Press:
U.S. drug agency urges monitoring for suicidal behaviour in antidepressant users
Doctors who prescribe some popular antidepressants should monitor their patients closely for warning signs of suicide, especially when they first start the pills or change a dose, the U.S. government warned Monday.
FDA issues caution: says antidepressants possibly linked to suicide risk
Patients on some popular antidepressants should be closely monitored for warning signs of suicide, the U.S. government warned Monday. It asked the makers of 10 drugs to add the caution to their labels.
Although the Food and Drug Administration's investigation into the possible suicide connection initially focused on children given the drugs, its warning is aimed at both adult and pediatric use of pills to alleviate depression.
From CBC News:
U.S. expands antidepressant warning
People of all ages who take any of 10 popular antidepressants should be closely watched for signs of suicidal thoughts or behaviour, the U.S. government warned Monday.
Drug regulators in Canada, the U.S. and Britain have warned that children and teens taking antidepressants may be at greater risk of committing suicide. Monday's advisory expands the warning to include adults, and asks drug makers to add warnings about the possible risks to their labels.
U.S. drug agency urges monitoring for suicidal behaviour in antidepressant users
Doctors who prescribe some popular antidepressants should monitor their patients closely for warning signs of suicide, especially when they first start the pills or change a dose, the U.S. government warned Monday.
FDA issues caution: says antidepressants possibly linked to suicide risk
Patients on some popular antidepressants should be closely monitored for warning signs of suicide, the U.S. government warned Monday. It asked the makers of 10 drugs to add the caution to their labels.
Although the Food and Drug Administration's investigation into the possible suicide connection initially focused on children given the drugs, its warning is aimed at both adult and pediatric use of pills to alleviate depression.
From CBC News:
U.S. expands antidepressant warning
People of all ages who take any of 10 popular antidepressants should be closely watched for signs of suicidal thoughts or behaviour, the U.S. government warned Monday.
Drug regulators in Canada, the U.S. and Britain have warned that children and teens taking antidepressants may be at greater risk of committing suicide. Monday's advisory expands the warning to include adults, and asks drug makers to add warnings about the possible risks to their labels.
From CBC British Columbia:
Questions about drug store pot plan
A B.C. medical marijuana advocate is questioning a Health Canada pilot project that will see medicinal pot distributed in pharmacies.
From Bloomberg:
Canada to Make Marijuana Available in Pharmacies, CBC Says
Canada will allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana to approved patients this year, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported, without citing the source of its information.
From the Miami Herald:
East Providence, R.I., Seeks Coverage for Prescription Drugs from Canada
Convinced that the city and its residents will be able to save thousands of dollars in medical insurance by buying prescription drugs from Canada, Mayor Rolland R. Grant's task force on drugs has embarked on an effort to convince Blue Cross to cover those purchases.
Questions about drug store pot plan
A B.C. medical marijuana advocate is questioning a Health Canada pilot project that will see medicinal pot distributed in pharmacies.
From Bloomberg:
Canada to Make Marijuana Available in Pharmacies, CBC Says
Canada will allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana to approved patients this year, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported, without citing the source of its information.
From the Miami Herald:
East Providence, R.I., Seeks Coverage for Prescription Drugs from Canada
Convinced that the city and its residents will be able to save thousands of dollars in medical insurance by buying prescription drugs from Canada, Mayor Rolland R. Grant's task force on drugs has embarked on an effort to convince Blue Cross to cover those purchases.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
No complaints on Canadian drugs
Cost-conscious Minnesotans are increasingly turning to Canadian pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled. And they're not complaining about the results.
Of 473 complaints to state regulators about pharmacies and pharmacists in the last five years, not one alleged an error by a foreign pharmacy, a review by the Associated Press found.
From theCanadian Press:
Almost half of some Manitoba drugs head south via Internet says study
Almost half of some Manitoba drugs head south via Internet: study
It's only a matter of time before Manitoba patients - and eventually all Canadians - notice drug shortages caused by Internet pharmacies, a research group opposed to the industry said Monday.
The Pharmacy Alliance for Canadians, which represents several Canadian retail pharmacy chains and independent drugstores, released sales figures it says suggest Manitobans are essentially competing with Americans for some of the top-selling prescription drugs sold to patients with chronic conditions such as arthritis and high cholesterol.
(Editor's note: each article starts with the same text, but there is unique content in each report)
From KOTV-TV (Okla.):
Canadian Expressway Sets Up Shop In NE Oklahoma
RX-Depot, an outlet for buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, was ordered to shut down last year by the federal government. But the demand for cheaper medications remains strong.
News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talked to an Oklahoman who's helping people find affordable prescription drugs north of the border.
From the Calgary Herald:
Trucker was first victim of medical mix-up
The family of the first victim of a medical mix-up at Foothills Medical Centre isn't blaming the hospital or its doctors for the death of their loved one.
No complaints on Canadian drugs
Cost-conscious Minnesotans are increasingly turning to Canadian pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled. And they're not complaining about the results.
Of 473 complaints to state regulators about pharmacies and pharmacists in the last five years, not one alleged an error by a foreign pharmacy, a review by the Associated Press found.
From theCanadian Press:
Almost half of some Manitoba drugs head south via Internet says study
Almost half of some Manitoba drugs head south via Internet: study
It's only a matter of time before Manitoba patients - and eventually all Canadians - notice drug shortages caused by Internet pharmacies, a research group opposed to the industry said Monday.
The Pharmacy Alliance for Canadians, which represents several Canadian retail pharmacy chains and independent drugstores, released sales figures it says suggest Manitobans are essentially competing with Americans for some of the top-selling prescription drugs sold to patients with chronic conditions such as arthritis and high cholesterol.
(Editor's note: each article starts with the same text, but there is unique content in each report)
From KOTV-TV (Okla.):
Canadian Expressway Sets Up Shop In NE Oklahoma
RX-Depot, an outlet for buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, was ordered to shut down last year by the federal government. But the demand for cheaper medications remains strong.
News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talked to an Oklahoman who's helping people find affordable prescription drugs north of the border.
From the Calgary Herald:
Trucker was first victim of medical mix-up
The family of the first victim of a medical mix-up at Foothills Medical Centre isn't blaming the hospital or its doctors for the death of their loved one.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
From the Globe and Mail:
Certified marijuana may be made available in pharmacies
Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users.
Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore.
From the Baltimore Jewish Times:
Israel Part Of Cheap Drug Imports Issue
The increasingly prevalent -- and questionable -- practice of obtaining federally approved drugs from online business brokers is spilling over into the Jewish community.
Over the last several months, companies that procure discounted prescription medications from Israel and other foreign countries have placed advertisements in Jewish newspapers (including the Atlanta Jewish Times) and sent promotional material to Jewish membership organizations, proposing to offer the public a way to support Israel's economy while also saving money. In turn, consumers who rely on a heavy volume of medication to treat chronic conditions including high blood pressure, depression and diabetes are flocking to the Web sites to purchase their drugs and support small businesses.
From the Contra Costa (CA) Times:
Consumer advocates push for drug imports
Legalizing the importation of U.S.-made drugs from other countries, while not a long-term solution to the problem of high-priced prescription drugs, is an important first step in making medicines more affordable, consumer advocates told a government task force Friday.
From the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press:
REIMPORTED DRUGS: FDA blasts Web site
The federal government ripped Gov. Jim Doyle Thursday for helping Wisconsin citizens import cheaper but illegal Canadian prescription drugs through a state Web site.
The letter to Doyle reflects the still-simmering tension between the federal government, which maintains foreign drugs are illegal and dangerous to consumers, and states trying to give their residents relief from skyrocketing domestic prices.
Certified marijuana may be made available in pharmacies
Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users.
Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore.
From the Baltimore Jewish Times:
Israel Part Of Cheap Drug Imports Issue
The increasingly prevalent -- and questionable -- practice of obtaining federally approved drugs from online business brokers is spilling over into the Jewish community.
Over the last several months, companies that procure discounted prescription medications from Israel and other foreign countries have placed advertisements in Jewish newspapers (including the Atlanta Jewish Times) and sent promotional material to Jewish membership organizations, proposing to offer the public a way to support Israel's economy while also saving money. In turn, consumers who rely on a heavy volume of medication to treat chronic conditions including high blood pressure, depression and diabetes are flocking to the Web sites to purchase their drugs and support small businesses.
From the Contra Costa (CA) Times:
Consumer advocates push for drug imports
Legalizing the importation of U.S.-made drugs from other countries, while not a long-term solution to the problem of high-priced prescription drugs, is an important first step in making medicines more affordable, consumer advocates told a government task force Friday.
From the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press:
REIMPORTED DRUGS: FDA blasts Web site
The federal government ripped Gov. Jim Doyle Thursday for helping Wisconsin citizens import cheaper but illegal Canadian prescription drugs through a state Web site.
The letter to Doyle reflects the still-simmering tension between the federal government, which maintains foreign drugs are illegal and dangerous to consumers, and states trying to give their residents relief from skyrocketing domestic prices.
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Canada plans pharmacy marijuana project
Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in local pharmacies, a move that would make Canada the second country in the world after the Netherlands to allow the direct sale of medical marijuana.
Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modeled on a year-old program in the Netherlands.
From the Metrowest Daily News (Mass.):
Canada drugs bill heads to Senate: Would create Web site of certified Canadian pharmacies
A bill that would allow the state to inform consumers how they can purchase prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies at reduced prices is heading to the state Senate now that it has been endorsed by a key panel of lawmakers.
The legislation would direct Gov. Mitt Romney to seek the federal government's permission to create a state-run Web site listing certified pharmacies in Canada that sell prescription drugs over the Internet.
Canada plans pharmacy marijuana project
Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in local pharmacies, a move that would make Canada the second country in the world after the Netherlands to allow the direct sale of medical marijuana.
Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modeled on a year-old program in the Netherlands.
From the Metrowest Daily News (Mass.):
Canada drugs bill heads to Senate: Would create Web site of certified Canadian pharmacies
A bill that would allow the state to inform consumers how they can purchase prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies at reduced prices is heading to the state Senate now that it has been endorsed by a key panel of lawmakers.
The legislation would direct Gov. Mitt Romney to seek the federal government's permission to create a state-run Web site listing certified pharmacies in Canada that sell prescription drugs over the Internet.
From KVIA-TV (NM):
U.S. drugs too costly, consumer groups tell panel
Demand for cheaper prescription drugs from Canada will continue as long as U.S. medicines remain so expensive, consumer advocates told a federal task force examining whether safe imports are possible.
Cheaper prices would continue to be a powerful lure even if importation remains illegal, the panel was told.
From the Seattle Times:
Shake medicine free of constraints (opinion)
If you are not confused by the heated debate over whether or not Americans have the right to buy their prescription drugs in countries where prices are 50-80 percent cheaper, you have not been paying attention ("City to look at Canadian drugs," Times, Local News, March 15).
From the Macon (GA) Daily:
FDA, Wisconsin Spar Over Prescription Web Site
U.S. regulators and Wisconsin are sparring over the state's aggressive efforts to encourage its citizens to buy cheaper pharmaceuticals across the border in Canada, a battle which escalated this week.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat, blasted a letter he received late Thursday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, warning the state that its Web site threatens the public health by advocating citizens to buy illegal drugs.
From Medical News Today (UK):
First prescribing pharmacists
The first pharmacists to qualify as supplementary prescribers in England were today welcomed by Health Minister Rosie Winterton during a visit to Bradford University.
(Editor's note: Not specifically about Canadia pharmacy, but interesting in that some pharmacists in other parts of the world are being granted some prescribing rights. Similar discussions are currently underway in Canada.)
U.S. drugs too costly, consumer groups tell panel
Demand for cheaper prescription drugs from Canada will continue as long as U.S. medicines remain so expensive, consumer advocates told a federal task force examining whether safe imports are possible.
Cheaper prices would continue to be a powerful lure even if importation remains illegal, the panel was told.
From the Seattle Times:
Shake medicine free of constraints (opinion)
If you are not confused by the heated debate over whether or not Americans have the right to buy their prescription drugs in countries where prices are 50-80 percent cheaper, you have not been paying attention ("City to look at Canadian drugs," Times, Local News, March 15).
From the Macon (GA) Daily:
FDA, Wisconsin Spar Over Prescription Web Site
U.S. regulators and Wisconsin are sparring over the state's aggressive efforts to encourage its citizens to buy cheaper pharmaceuticals across the border in Canada, a battle which escalated this week.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat, blasted a letter he received late Thursday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, warning the state that its Web site threatens the public health by advocating citizens to buy illegal drugs.
From Medical News Today (UK):
First prescribing pharmacists
The first pharmacists to qualify as supplementary prescribers in England were today welcomed by Health Minister Rosie Winterton during a visit to Bradford University.
(Editor's note: Not specifically about Canadia pharmacy, but interesting in that some pharmacists in other parts of the world are being granted some prescribing rights. Similar discussions are currently underway in Canada.)
From In-Forum (ND):
AP Enterprise: Pharmacy complaints show none on Canadian imports
Cost-conscious Minnesotans are increasingly turning to Canadian pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled. And they're not complaining about the results.
Of 473 complaints to state regulators about pharmacies and pharmacists in the last five years, not one alleged an error by a foreign pharmacy, a review by The Associated Press found.
From the Calgary Herald:
Pharmacy system needs overhaul
The practice of pharmacy technicians checking each other's work at the Calgary Health Region's main drug dispensing facility must be overhauled, says the head of the Institute of Safe Medication Practices in Canada.
CHR denies link of recent deaths to mistake in 2000
The Calgary Health Region Saturday rejected allegations it has a history of making medical mistakes with potassium chloride, denying any link between the death of two patients this year and a mistake in 2000 that almost killed a local woman.
From the Denver Post:
Canada: big pain, big relief
Psst. Wanna buy some good Canadian?
Check out Canada Drug Service Inc. in Englewood. Save up to 85 percent on prescriptions and subvert those price-gouging pharmaceutical giants.
Is this legal? No. But who's going to arrest a senior for seeking inexpensive medicine?
From the (Madison, Wisc.) Capital Times:
Feds hit Doyle for drug import web site
The federal government criticized Gov. Jim Doyle Thursday for helping Wisconsin citizens import cheaper but illegal Canadian prescription drugs through a state Web site.
The letter to Doyle reflects the still-simmering tension between the federal government, which maintains foreign drugs are illegal and dangerous to consumers, and states trying to give their residents relief from skyrocketing domestic prices.
AP Enterprise: Pharmacy complaints show none on Canadian imports
Cost-conscious Minnesotans are increasingly turning to Canadian pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled. And they're not complaining about the results.
Of 473 complaints to state regulators about pharmacies and pharmacists in the last five years, not one alleged an error by a foreign pharmacy, a review by The Associated Press found.
From the Calgary Herald:
Pharmacy system needs overhaul
The practice of pharmacy technicians checking each other's work at the Calgary Health Region's main drug dispensing facility must be overhauled, says the head of the Institute of Safe Medication Practices in Canada.
CHR denies link of recent deaths to mistake in 2000
The Calgary Health Region Saturday rejected allegations it has a history of making medical mistakes with potassium chloride, denying any link between the death of two patients this year and a mistake in 2000 that almost killed a local woman.
From the Denver Post:
Canada: big pain, big relief
Psst. Wanna buy some good Canadian?
Check out Canada Drug Service Inc. in Englewood. Save up to 85 percent on prescriptions and subvert those price-gouging pharmaceutical giants.
Is this legal? No. But who's going to arrest a senior for seeking inexpensive medicine?
From the (Madison, Wisc.) Capital Times:
Feds hit Doyle for drug import web site
The federal government criticized Gov. Jim Doyle Thursday for helping Wisconsin citizens import cheaper but illegal Canadian prescription drugs through a state Web site.
The letter to Doyle reflects the still-simmering tension between the federal government, which maintains foreign drugs are illegal and dangerous to consumers, and states trying to give their residents relief from skyrocketing domestic prices.
From the Calgary Herald:
Dialysis drug mix-up demands fatality probe
There's never a "right" victim in a tragedy like the CHR's lethal double blunder, but the wrong one has got to be Kathleen Prowse, widow of the late Judge Hubert Prowse.
Medical mistakes leave deadly toll
Dr. Alan Forster, a physician and patient safety adviser, says his "heart feels" for the people involved with two Calgary patients who died after they were injected with the wrong drugs. But the fatal medication mix-up could have been far more tragic.
Dialysis drug mix-up demands fatality probe
There's never a "right" victim in a tragedy like the CHR's lethal double blunder, but the wrong one has got to be Kathleen Prowse, widow of the late Judge Hubert Prowse.
Medical mistakes leave deadly toll
Dr. Alan Forster, a physician and patient safety adviser, says his "heart feels" for the people involved with two Calgary patients who died after they were injected with the wrong drugs. But the fatal medication mix-up could have been far more tragic.
From the Calgary Herald:
New pharmacy promised greater safety
The pharmacy dispensing the drugs that killed two patients at Foothills hospital was touted at its opening last year as the first-of-its-kind facility in Canada, designed to increase patient safety.
Now, the CHR's Central Production Pharmacy will likely face scrutiny in an investigation launched Friday by the Alberta College of Pharmacists into the deaths of Kathleen Prowse, 83, and a middle-aged man who both died recently after receiving intravenous drips during dialysis.
CHR's disclosure a hopeful sign (opinion)
Fear of making fatal medical mistakes -- it's more like terror, actually -- hangs over the lives of everyone in Calgary's hospital system.
And the dread is even more palpable now, after the CHR announced that two patients died after being given the wrong dialysis fluid.
From the Miami Herald:
Drug imports a reality, FDA is told
A government panel exploring whether prescription drugs can be safely imported got a clear answer Friday from consumer advocates who said Americans already are doing it to cope with skyrocketing pharmacy bills.
From Reuters:
U.S. Drugs Too Costly, Consumer Groups Tell Panel
Demand for cheaper prescription drugs from Canada will continue as long as U.S. medicines remain so expensive, consumer advocates told a federal task force examining whether safe imports are possible.
Cheaper prices would continue to be a powerful lure even if importation remains illegal, the panel was told
New pharmacy promised greater safety
The pharmacy dispensing the drugs that killed two patients at Foothills hospital was touted at its opening last year as the first-of-its-kind facility in Canada, designed to increase patient safety.
Now, the CHR's Central Production Pharmacy will likely face scrutiny in an investigation launched Friday by the Alberta College of Pharmacists into the deaths of Kathleen Prowse, 83, and a middle-aged man who both died recently after receiving intravenous drips during dialysis.
CHR's disclosure a hopeful sign (opinion)
Fear of making fatal medical mistakes -- it's more like terror, actually -- hangs over the lives of everyone in Calgary's hospital system.
And the dread is even more palpable now, after the CHR announced that two patients died after being given the wrong dialysis fluid.
From the Miami Herald:
Drug imports a reality, FDA is told
A government panel exploring whether prescription drugs can be safely imported got a clear answer Friday from consumer advocates who said Americans already are doing it to cope with skyrocketing pharmacy bills.
From Reuters:
U.S. Drugs Too Costly, Consumer Groups Tell Panel
Demand for cheaper prescription drugs from Canada will continue as long as U.S. medicines remain so expensive, consumer advocates told a federal task force examining whether safe imports are possible.
Cheaper prices would continue to be a powerful lure even if importation remains illegal, the panel was told
Saturday, March 20, 2004
From the Canadian Press:
Alberta College of Pharmacists to probe Calgary dialysis deaths
Alberta's College of Pharmacists has launched an investigation into the dialysis deaths of two Calgary hospital patients who were given the wrong medication.
No pharmacist checked dialysis that killed 2 in Calgary: pharmacist group
No pharmacist checked the solutions that killed two dialysis patients in a Calgary hospital, says the Pharmacists Association of Alberta.
Barry Cavanaugh, the association's executive director, said the Foothills Medical Centre employed pharmacist technicians rather than more qualified pharmacists to check the work of technicians.
From the Sacramento Business Journal:
Canadian pharmacy connection to open Monday
NorthCare, a Canadian company that helps American patients buy prescription drugs from a Manitoba pharmacy, will open a storefront in Sacramento Monday, even as lawmakers debate whether to legalize the service it provides.
From Reuters:
FDA, Wisconsin Battle Over Prescription Web Site
A battle between U.S. regulators and states over efforts to buy cheaper pharmaceuticals from Canada escalated this week when federal officials accused Wisconsin of threatening public health.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat, blasted a letter he received late Thursday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, warning the state that its Web site threatens the public health by advocating citizens to buy illegal drugs.
Alberta College of Pharmacists to probe Calgary dialysis deaths
Alberta's College of Pharmacists has launched an investigation into the dialysis deaths of two Calgary hospital patients who were given the wrong medication.
No pharmacist checked dialysis that killed 2 in Calgary: pharmacist group
No pharmacist checked the solutions that killed two dialysis patients in a Calgary hospital, says the Pharmacists Association of Alberta.
Barry Cavanaugh, the association's executive director, said the Foothills Medical Centre employed pharmacist technicians rather than more qualified pharmacists to check the work of technicians.
From the Sacramento Business Journal:
Canadian pharmacy connection to open Monday
NorthCare, a Canadian company that helps American patients buy prescription drugs from a Manitoba pharmacy, will open a storefront in Sacramento Monday, even as lawmakers debate whether to legalize the service it provides.
From Reuters:
FDA, Wisconsin Battle Over Prescription Web Site
A battle between U.S. regulators and states over efforts to buy cheaper pharmaceuticals from Canada escalated this week when federal officials accused Wisconsin of threatening public health.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat, blasted a letter he received late Thursday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, warning the state that its Web site threatens the public health by advocating citizens to buy illegal drugs.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
From the Canadian Press:
Two critically ill Calgary patients die after getting wrong drug in dialysis
Two critically ill patients at one of Alberta's largest hospitals died after they were given the wrong drug during dialysis, health officials announced Thursday.
From the Toronto Star:
Settlement reached for some Baycol plaintiffs
Canadians who allege they became sick after taking the cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol have reached a tentative settlement in their class-action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant Bayer.
Toronto lawyers said today they have reached a proposed settlement on behalf of plaintiffs across the country who contracted the muscle disease rhabdomyolysis after taking the drug.
Two critically ill Calgary patients die after getting wrong drug in dialysis
Two critically ill patients at one of Alberta's largest hospitals died after they were given the wrong drug during dialysis, health officials announced Thursday.
From the Toronto Star:
Settlement reached for some Baycol plaintiffs
Canadians who allege they became sick after taking the cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol have reached a tentative settlement in their class-action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant Bayer.
Toronto lawyers said today they have reached a proposed settlement on behalf of plaintiffs across the country who contracted the muscle disease rhabdomyolysis after taking the drug.
From the Boston Business Journal:
Mass. drug-import bill passes committee
A proposed Massachusetts law that would create a web site to help residents import low-cost prescription drugs from Canada passed its first legislative hurdle.
From Reuters:
Now global pharma catches Indian outsourcing bug
For Indian pharmaceutical firms looking abroad for growth, a trend towards global drug makers buying materials and employing in the sub-continent to save money has brought the world closer to home.
Low-cost software engineers and smart-talking graduates in back offices may be India's better-known pools of outsourced manpower, but its skilled chemists, microbiologists and medical professionals are also making a mark.
Mass. drug-import bill passes committee
A proposed Massachusetts law that would create a web site to help residents import low-cost prescription drugs from Canada passed its first legislative hurdle.
From Reuters:
Now global pharma catches Indian outsourcing bug
For Indian pharmaceutical firms looking abroad for growth, a trend towards global drug makers buying materials and employing in the sub-continent to save money has brought the world closer to home.
Low-cost software engineers and smart-talking graduates in back offices may be India's better-known pools of outsourced manpower, but its skilled chemists, microbiologists and medical professionals are also making a mark.
From the Miami Herald:
Drug-Import Bill Clears First Hurdle in Massachusetts
With a guiding hand from state government and the click of a computer mouse, Massachusetts residents could order cheap prescription drugs from Canada.
Under a proposed bill that has cleared its first challenge on Beacon Hill, the state would be required to seek federal permission to help citizens buy drugs from Canada. If granted, Massachusetts would then set up a website listing Canadian Internet pharmacies.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
State drug Web site faulted
A federal official Thursday warned Wisconsin residents against using the Internet site Gov. Jim Doyle created with links to Canadian pharmacies.
From Yahoo News:
Unwanted Medications
While flushing unwanted or expired medications down the toilet is common practice, Health Canada says this may have a harmful effect on the environment.
From the Sacramento Bee:
County eyes Canadian medicines
Searching for ways to keep clinics open and health services running, Sacramento County this week lined up behind a number of cities and states looking into buying prescription drugs from Canada, even though the practice is illegal.
"If there are legal uncertainties about it, I think we ought to be willing to take on that legal challenge, because if we could realize $5 (million), $6 (million), $7 million a year in savings as a result of this, it's certainly worth the investment," said Roger Dickinson, one of two supervisors who asked county health officials to research Canadian drug purchases.
From WCCO-TV (Minn.):
Pawlenty To Attend Pfizer Meeting To Press Changes In Drug Pricing
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Thursday that he will take his drug-pricing battle with Pfizer Inc. to the company's annual meeting in St. Louis next month.
Pawlenty has tangled with Pfizer over the higher prices it charges for drugs sold in the United States versus those sold in Canada.
From the Boston Herald:
Finneran: Buying Canadian prescription drugs hurts Massachusetts
Encouraging cash-strapped Massachusetts residents to buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada would harm an important local industry, House Speaker Thomas Finneran said Thursday.
Drug-Import Bill Clears First Hurdle in Massachusetts
With a guiding hand from state government and the click of a computer mouse, Massachusetts residents could order cheap prescription drugs from Canada.
Under a proposed bill that has cleared its first challenge on Beacon Hill, the state would be required to seek federal permission to help citizens buy drugs from Canada. If granted, Massachusetts would then set up a website listing Canadian Internet pharmacies.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
State drug Web site faulted
A federal official Thursday warned Wisconsin residents against using the Internet site Gov. Jim Doyle created with links to Canadian pharmacies.
From Yahoo News:
Unwanted Medications
While flushing unwanted or expired medications down the toilet is common practice, Health Canada says this may have a harmful effect on the environment.
From the Sacramento Bee:
County eyes Canadian medicines
Searching for ways to keep clinics open and health services running, Sacramento County this week lined up behind a number of cities and states looking into buying prescription drugs from Canada, even though the practice is illegal.
"If there are legal uncertainties about it, I think we ought to be willing to take on that legal challenge, because if we could realize $5 (million), $6 (million), $7 million a year in savings as a result of this, it's certainly worth the investment," said Roger Dickinson, one of two supervisors who asked county health officials to research Canadian drug purchases.
From WCCO-TV (Minn.):
Pawlenty To Attend Pfizer Meeting To Press Changes In Drug Pricing
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Thursday that he will take his drug-pricing battle with Pfizer Inc. to the company's annual meeting in St. Louis next month.
Pawlenty has tangled with Pfizer over the higher prices it charges for drugs sold in the United States versus those sold in Canada.
From the Boston Herald:
Finneran: Buying Canadian prescription drugs hurts Massachusetts
Encouraging cash-strapped Massachusetts residents to buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada would harm an important local industry, House Speaker Thomas Finneran said Thursday.
From Health Canada:
ZYPREXA* (olanzapine) and Cerebrovascular Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Elderly Dementia Trials
Eli Lilly Canada Inc., following discussions with Health Canada, would like to inform you of important new safety information pertaining to cerebrovascular adverse events, that have occurred in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with ZYPREXA (olanzapine) in clinical trials. ZYPREXA is not approved for use in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.
ZYPREXA* (olanzapine) and Cerebrovascular Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Elderly Dementia Trials
Eli Lilly Canada Inc., following discussions with Health Canada, would like to inform you of important new safety information pertaining to cerebrovascular adverse events, that have occurred in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with ZYPREXA (olanzapine) in clinical trials. ZYPREXA is not approved for use in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.
From the Boston Globe:
Wis. pharmacist faces complaint over Pill refill
A state agency is accusing a pharmacist of blocking a woman's attempts to refill her birth control prescription because of his religious beliefs.
The Department of Regulation and Licensing's complaint against Neil Noesen stemmed from his refusal to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy after he refused to fill it himself.
(Editor's note: Not a Canadian pharmacy story, but an interesting article about pharmacist ethics.)
Wis. pharmacist faces complaint over Pill refill
A state agency is accusing a pharmacist of blocking a woman's attempts to refill her birth control prescription because of his religious beliefs.
The Department of Regulation and Licensing's complaint against Neil Noesen stemmed from his refusal to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy after he refused to fill it himself.
(Editor's note: Not a Canadian pharmacy story, but an interesting article about pharmacist ethics.)
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
From New York Newsday:
Minn. senator teams with Giuliani in prescription drug probe
Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman got a high-profile assist in his investigation of imported prescription drugs Wednesday, when he teamed up with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
But it's Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a fellow Republican, who is making the most of the issue by crusading for access to such drugs, which are often far cheaper than those sold in the United States.
Minn. senator teams with Giuliani in prescription drug probe
Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman got a high-profile assist in his investigation of imported prescription drugs Wednesday, when he teamed up with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
But it's Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a fellow Republican, who is making the most of the issue by crusading for access to such drugs, which are often far cheaper than those sold in the United States.
From the Newton (Mass.) Tab:
City eyes cheap Canadian drugs
Propelled by evidence of substantial savings in one local city, Newton officials are investigating a health insurance program that would allow city employees to purchase Canadian drugs, potentially saving taxpayers $2.4 million a year.
Last summer, Springfield successfully launched a similar program. Newton is now one of several state municipalities, including Boston and Cambridge, to consider making Canadian prescription drugs available to municipal employees, even though it has been a source of legal controversy.
City eyes cheap Canadian drugs
Propelled by evidence of substantial savings in one local city, Newton officials are investigating a health insurance program that would allow city employees to purchase Canadian drugs, potentially saving taxpayers $2.4 million a year.
Last summer, Springfield successfully launched a similar program. Newton is now one of several state municipalities, including Boston and Cambridge, to consider making Canadian prescription drugs available to municipal employees, even though it has been a source of legal controversy.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
From the Pittsburgh Channel:
Consumer Group Sues FDA Over Antidepressant
A consumer advocacy group says the antidepressant nefazodone is dangerous, and it's suing the government in an effort to ban its sales.
Public Citizen says the drug, which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as Serzone, can cause deadly liver failure and is linked to 20 deaths since 1994, when the drug was first put on the market. And the group says it's impossible to predict which patient is at risk.
Consumer Group Sues FDA Over Antidepressant
A consumer advocacy group says the antidepressant nefazodone is dangerous, and it's suing the government in an effort to ban its sales.
Public Citizen says the drug, which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as Serzone, can cause deadly liver failure and is linked to 20 deaths since 1994, when the drug was first put on the market. And the group says it's impossible to predict which patient is at risk.
Monday, March 15, 2004
From the Fort Worth (Tex.) Star Telegram:
AARP campaigns to legalize prescription drugs from Canada
The nation's largest seniors group launched a campaign Monday to make cheaper Canadian drugs available to Americans.
AARP, which has 35 million members, said it will lobby drug companies, Congress and the Bush administration to legalize the imports. The group also is running TV and newspaper ads nationwide.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
Democratic governor candidates promise quick action on prescription drugs
North Dakota's two Democratic candidates for governor are promising to move quickly to help state residents save money on prescription drugs by buying them in Canada.
One candidate, state Rep. Merle Boucher, D-Rolette, said North Dakota should rally support from other states to sue drug companies in an effort to force lower prices.
From New York Newsday:
Pharmaceutical Industry Hires Giuliani
The pharmaceutical industry trade group hired former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's consulting group earlier this month to study the safety of imported prescription drugs.
The job places Giuliani's high-profile firm at the center of an explosive political issue. Consumers and city and state officials nationwide are clamoring for access to cheaper Canadian drugs, while industry executives and federal regulators insist reimportation poses a potential medicine safety risk.
From WOKR-TV (NY):
Looking North To Save On Drugs
City officials across the country have started looking into ways to lower costs for employee health care. Some have decided to buy through Canada where prescription drugs are far cheaper--and there is an effort underway in Rochester and Monroe county to do the same.
AARP campaigns to legalize prescription drugs from Canada
The nation's largest seniors group launched a campaign Monday to make cheaper Canadian drugs available to Americans.
AARP, which has 35 million members, said it will lobby drug companies, Congress and the Bush administration to legalize the imports. The group also is running TV and newspaper ads nationwide.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
Democratic governor candidates promise quick action on prescription drugs
North Dakota's two Democratic candidates for governor are promising to move quickly to help state residents save money on prescription drugs by buying them in Canada.
One candidate, state Rep. Merle Boucher, D-Rolette, said North Dakota should rally support from other states to sue drug companies in an effort to force lower prices.
From New York Newsday:
Pharmaceutical Industry Hires Giuliani
The pharmaceutical industry trade group hired former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's consulting group earlier this month to study the safety of imported prescription drugs.
The job places Giuliani's high-profile firm at the center of an explosive political issue. Consumers and city and state officials nationwide are clamoring for access to cheaper Canadian drugs, while industry executives and federal regulators insist reimportation poses a potential medicine safety risk.
From WOKR-TV (NY):
Looking North To Save On Drugs
City officials across the country have started looking into ways to lower costs for employee health care. Some have decided to buy through Canada where prescription drugs are far cheaper--and there is an effort underway in Rochester and Monroe county to do the same.
From the Canadian Press:
U.S. election putting pressure on Republicans to consider Cdn drug imports
So much for the golden years. Goodbye to the American dream.
Ray and Gaylee Andrews can't pay the property taxes on their suburban Chicago home, so they're putting it on the market next month.
From WOKR-TV (NY):
Weighing The Cost Of American Vs. Canadian Medicine
Plattsburgh Mayor Daniel Stewart says Canada may be the answer to the city's high employee health care costs.
The Press Republican of Plattsburgh reports that the mayor attended a presentation Saturday by the Canadian drug firm CanaRx.
From the Olympian (Wash.):
GOP feels pressure on Canadian drugs
The Bush administration and Republican congressional leaders are being forced to take a hard new look at the idea of importing cheaper prescription drugs from foreign countries as an election-year clamor grows for removing prohibitions.
Increases in prescription drug prices -- the fastest growing item in health care -- and the pitched partisan battle over the new Medicare law have given the topic greater prominence in Congress and on the campaign trail.
U.S. election putting pressure on Republicans to consider Cdn drug imports
So much for the golden years. Goodbye to the American dream.
Ray and Gaylee Andrews can't pay the property taxes on their suburban Chicago home, so they're putting it on the market next month.
From WOKR-TV (NY):
Weighing The Cost Of American Vs. Canadian Medicine
Plattsburgh Mayor Daniel Stewart says Canada may be the answer to the city's high employee health care costs.
The Press Republican of Plattsburgh reports that the mayor attended a presentation Saturday by the Canadian drug firm CanaRx.
From the Olympian (Wash.):
GOP feels pressure on Canadian drugs
The Bush administration and Republican congressional leaders are being forced to take a hard new look at the idea of importing cheaper prescription drugs from foreign countries as an election-year clamor grows for removing prohibitions.
Increases in prescription drug prices -- the fastest growing item in health care -- and the pitched partisan battle over the new Medicare law have given the topic greater prominence in Congress and on the campaign trail.
From the Seattle Times:
Seattle to look at Canadian drugs
The rising cost of prescription drugs is giving the city of Seattle a pain in the budget.
Some city leaders believe they've found a remedy: getting city workers to buy their medicines from Canada, where prices average 30 to 80 percent less for many drugs.
From the Providence (RI) Journal:
Pharmacists say drug pricing bill won't help
Steven Hochberg, who owns pharmacies in Rutland and Springfield, said he cringes when he has to tell a customer that a prescription will cost $100 or more.
But he traveled to Montpelier Monday to speak out against a legislative proposal to set price controls for prescription drugs, saying the tactic won't work and could hurt local businesses.
From the Nashville City Paper:
Senate panel to hear testimony from FDA
Concerns about importing lower cost Canadian drugs for use in the TennCare program will be aired Tuesday when a representative from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) testifies before the Senate Commerce Committee.
State lawmakers are examining the possibility of starting a Canadian drug import pilot program with some state employees.
From the Miami Herald:
Drug Industry, California Clash over State's Credit Rating
A drug industry trade group charged Friday that Wall Street might lower California's credit rating if the state approved pending legislation to purchase prescription drugs from Canada.
Seattle to look at Canadian drugs
The rising cost of prescription drugs is giving the city of Seattle a pain in the budget.
Some city leaders believe they've found a remedy: getting city workers to buy their medicines from Canada, where prices average 30 to 80 percent less for many drugs.
From the Providence (RI) Journal:
Pharmacists say drug pricing bill won't help
Steven Hochberg, who owns pharmacies in Rutland and Springfield, said he cringes when he has to tell a customer that a prescription will cost $100 or more.
But he traveled to Montpelier Monday to speak out against a legislative proposal to set price controls for prescription drugs, saying the tactic won't work and could hurt local businesses.
From the Nashville City Paper:
Senate panel to hear testimony from FDA
Concerns about importing lower cost Canadian drugs for use in the TennCare program will be aired Tuesday when a representative from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) testifies before the Senate Commerce Committee.
State lawmakers are examining the possibility of starting a Canadian drug import pilot program with some state employees.
From the Miami Herald:
Drug Industry, California Clash over State's Credit Rating
A drug industry trade group charged Friday that Wall Street might lower California's credit rating if the state approved pending legislation to purchase prescription drugs from Canada.
From CBS New York:
Prescriptions And Profit: A 60 Minutes Special Report
It may come as no surprise that the pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable business in the country. Americans pay far more for their prescription drugs than citizens of any place on Earth.
It will also come as no surprise that as a political issue, the high price of drugs has united both Republicans and Democrats. More than a million Americans now buy their medications in Canada.
And it's no longer just older people taking buses across the border. Mayors and governors from Minnesota to Alabama are helping Americans get Canadian drugs by mail.
(Editor's note: This appears to be a complete transcript of the lead story broadcast on Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.)
Prescriptions And Profit: A 60 Minutes Special Report
It may come as no surprise that the pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable business in the country. Americans pay far more for their prescription drugs than citizens of any place on Earth.
It will also come as no surprise that as a political issue, the high price of drugs has united both Republicans and Democrats. More than a million Americans now buy their medications in Canada.
And it's no longer just older people taking buses across the border. Mayors and governors from Minnesota to Alabama are helping Americans get Canadian drugs by mail.
(Editor's note: This appears to be a complete transcript of the lead story broadcast on Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.)
Sunday, March 14, 2004
From Maine Today:
American doctor complains about Internet pharmacy's ractices
A San Francisco doctor says she is outraged that a Winnipeg Internet pharmacy wanted to pay her money for every patient she referred to the company.
But the owner of Redwood Drugs says a letter sent to the American doctor was a mistake and the incentive program was terminated as soon as he found out about it.
American doctor complains about Internet pharmacy's ractices
A San Francisco doctor says she is outraged that a Winnipeg Internet pharmacy wanted to pay her money for every patient she referred to the company.
But the owner of Redwood Drugs says a letter sent to the American doctor was a mistake and the incentive program was terminated as soon as he found out about it.
From the Boston Globe:
City may import medicines
Pressed by surging health care costs, officials in Newton are gingerly taking steps toward defying federal law and importing prescription drugs from Canada for city employees.
The program could be implemented within months and could save the city an estimated $2.4 million next year. Under the plan being discussed, the money would be divided between the city and the schools, providing a financial windfall for cash-strapped departments.
City may import medicines
Pressed by surging health care costs, officials in Newton are gingerly taking steps toward defying federal law and importing prescription drugs from Canada for city employees.
The program could be implemented within months and could save the city an estimated $2.4 million next year. Under the plan being discussed, the money would be divided between the city and the schools, providing a financial windfall for cash-strapped departments.
Saturday, March 13, 2004
From Health Canada:
Important New Safety Information Clarifying Risk Factors for Severe, Life-threatening and Fatal Hepatotoxicity with Viramune® (nevirapine)
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., following discussions with Health Canada, is writing to inform you of important new labelling information being added to the Warnings Section of the Product Monograph for VIRAMUNE Tablets, 200 mg, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents. Specifically, we wish to draw your attention to the following:
New information regarding a Bio-Rad aspergillus assay interaction with Tazocin® (piperacillin/tazobactam
There have been reports of false positive test results using the Bio-Rad Laboratories Platelia Aspergillus enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test in patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam injection who were subsequently found to be free of Aspergillus infection. Cross-reactions with non-Aspergillus polysaccharides and polyfuranoses with the Bio-Rad Laboratories Platelia Aspergillus EIA test have been reported. Therefore, positive test results in patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed by other diagnostic tests.
Important New Safety Information Clarifying Risk Factors for Severe, Life-threatening and Fatal Hepatotoxicity with Viramune® (nevirapine)
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., following discussions with Health Canada, is writing to inform you of important new labelling information being added to the Warnings Section of the Product Monograph for VIRAMUNE Tablets, 200 mg, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents. Specifically, we wish to draw your attention to the following:
New information regarding a Bio-Rad aspergillus assay interaction with Tazocin® (piperacillin/tazobactam
There have been reports of false positive test results using the Bio-Rad Laboratories Platelia Aspergillus enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test in patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam injection who were subsequently found to be free of Aspergillus infection. Cross-reactions with non-Aspergillus polysaccharides and polyfuranoses with the Bio-Rad Laboratories Platelia Aspergillus EIA test have been reported. Therefore, positive test results in patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed by other diagnostic tests.
From the Seattle Times:
GOP can't ignore push for importing cheaper drugs
The Bush administration and Republican congressional leaders are being forced to take a hard, new look at the idea of importing cheaper prescription drugs from foreign countries as an election-year clamor grows for removing prohibitions.
Continuing increases in prescription-drug prices — the fastest-growing item in health care and up 15.3 percent in 2002 alone — and the pitched partisan battle over the new Medicare law have given the topic greater prominence in Congress and on the campaign trail.
From the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press:
WASHINGTON: Coleman wants a warning on drug site
Minnesota's drug Web site should warn consumers that "the integrity of the drugs purchased through this program cannot be assured," U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., wrote Thursday in a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
At the same time, however, Coleman offered his first real praise for the MinnesotaRXConnect Web site, calling it "a valuable resource." The state-sponsored Web site helps Minnesotans buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada — a practice that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says breaks the law.
From the Tullahoma (Tenn.) News:
Cooper Continues Push for Canadian Drugs
Senator Jerry Cooper (D-Morrison) continued his push for a pilot program of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Cooper said such a program could result in significant savings for Tennesseans.
"Prescription drug costs are rising at an alarming rate," Cooper said. "It's not unusual to see double-digit increases in prescription drug prices from year-to-year. What's truly shocking is that Americans pay far more for the same drug as citizens in Canada and other countries around the world. Tennessee citizens should be paying a fair price for prescription drugs. We need to explore every possible option for lowering drug costs."
From the Sebastian (Fla.) Sun:
Business profile: CanadaRx USA opens in Sebastian
For at least a year, Fred Ganz's elderly mother used to travel to Canada by bus from Rhode Island to purchase discounted prescription drugs. She could not afford to do it any other way.
Ganz decided there had to be an easier way for his mother and hundreds of other consumers to get discounted prescription drugs, so he decided to open a mail order processing center that would make it possible to purchase drugs from Canada at discounts up to 85 percent.
GOP can't ignore push for importing cheaper drugs
The Bush administration and Republican congressional leaders are being forced to take a hard, new look at the idea of importing cheaper prescription drugs from foreign countries as an election-year clamor grows for removing prohibitions.
Continuing increases in prescription-drug prices — the fastest-growing item in health care and up 15.3 percent in 2002 alone — and the pitched partisan battle over the new Medicare law have given the topic greater prominence in Congress and on the campaign trail.
From the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press:
WASHINGTON: Coleman wants a warning on drug site
Minnesota's drug Web site should warn consumers that "the integrity of the drugs purchased through this program cannot be assured," U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., wrote Thursday in a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
At the same time, however, Coleman offered his first real praise for the MinnesotaRXConnect Web site, calling it "a valuable resource." The state-sponsored Web site helps Minnesotans buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada — a practice that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says breaks the law.
From the Tullahoma (Tenn.) News:
Cooper Continues Push for Canadian Drugs
Senator Jerry Cooper (D-Morrison) continued his push for a pilot program of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Cooper said such a program could result in significant savings for Tennesseans.
"Prescription drug costs are rising at an alarming rate," Cooper said. "It's not unusual to see double-digit increases in prescription drug prices from year-to-year. What's truly shocking is that Americans pay far more for the same drug as citizens in Canada and other countries around the world. Tennessee citizens should be paying a fair price for prescription drugs. We need to explore every possible option for lowering drug costs."
From the Sebastian (Fla.) Sun:
Business profile: CanadaRx USA opens in Sebastian
For at least a year, Fred Ganz's elderly mother used to travel to Canada by bus from Rhode Island to purchase discounted prescription drugs. She could not afford to do it any other way.
Ganz decided there had to be an easier way for his mother and hundreds of other consumers to get discounted prescription drugs, so he decided to open a mail order processing center that would make it possible to purchase drugs from Canada at discounts up to 85 percent.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Pawlenty to FDA: 'Where are the dead Canadians?’
Since he first pitched the idea of a state Web site that would help Minnesotans buy cheaper Canadian prescription drugs online, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has become one of the nation's leading advocates for prescription drug price reform. He has castigated drug manufacturers for "price-gouging," openly criticized the federal government for maintaining its ban on reimporting the cheaper drugs, and run seriously afoul of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Last week, Pawlenty discussed the issue with the Star Tribune.
From WCAX-TV (VT):
Burlington Employees Learn About New Drug Benefit
Burlington is embarking on a program that allows city employees can take advantage of cheaper drugs north of the border. Though controversial, Plattsburg's mayor is considering whether a similar program could help his city too.
The CEO of CanaRX, Tony Howard, came to Burlington's City Hall today to explain how city employees can get drugs from Canada. CanaRX is the Canadian pharmacy that will dispense drugs to interested city workers.
Pawlenty to FDA: 'Where are the dead Canadians?’
Since he first pitched the idea of a state Web site that would help Minnesotans buy cheaper Canadian prescription drugs online, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has become one of the nation's leading advocates for prescription drug price reform. He has castigated drug manufacturers for "price-gouging," openly criticized the federal government for maintaining its ban on reimporting the cheaper drugs, and run seriously afoul of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Last week, Pawlenty discussed the issue with the Star Tribune.
From WCAX-TV (VT):
Burlington Employees Learn About New Drug Benefit
Burlington is embarking on a program that allows city employees can take advantage of cheaper drugs north of the border. Though controversial, Plattsburg's mayor is considering whether a similar program could help his city too.
The CEO of CanaRX, Tony Howard, came to Burlington's City Hall today to explain how city employees can get drugs from Canada. CanaRX is the Canadian pharmacy that will dispense drugs to interested city workers.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
From CTV.ca:
Kerry endorses cheaper pills from Canada
Democrat John Kerry weighed in Tuesday on the prescription drug debate in the latest sign that importing cheaper medicines from Canada is fast becoming a major U.S. election issue.
Kerry, the presumed presidential candidate for his party in this fall's election, said he supports imports as he met seniors in Evanston, Ill., to outline his drug agenda.
From the Evanston (Ill.) Review:
Suburban couple in national spotlight
Late last month, the Elk Grove couple took their concerns about rising prescription drugs costs to Washington D.C. and, along with Blagojevich, announced the filing of a major class-action lawsuit.
Blagojevich said the suit seeks to reform laws that put an undue financial burden on seniors across the nation.
"Ray and Gaylee are asking the courts to tell the FDA to respect people's rights to make their own medical decisions and allow them to buy safe, affordable drugs from Canada. Others in circumstances like the Andrews may be able to join this effort to change once and for all a law that discriminates against seniors and sick people in our country who can't get the drugs they need at the price they can afford," he said.
From KCRA-TV (Calif.):
Lawmakers Urged To Pass Prescription Drug Bills
The state Senate Health and Human Services Committee took up the issue of affordable prescription drugs Wednesday.
A group of seniors lobbied lawmakers to pass bills that would allow the state and make it easier for individuals to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies.
Kerry endorses cheaper pills from Canada
Democrat John Kerry weighed in Tuesday on the prescription drug debate in the latest sign that importing cheaper medicines from Canada is fast becoming a major U.S. election issue.
Kerry, the presumed presidential candidate for his party in this fall's election, said he supports imports as he met seniors in Evanston, Ill., to outline his drug agenda.
From the Evanston (Ill.) Review:
Suburban couple in national spotlight
Late last month, the Elk Grove couple took their concerns about rising prescription drugs costs to Washington D.C. and, along with Blagojevich, announced the filing of a major class-action lawsuit.
Blagojevich said the suit seeks to reform laws that put an undue financial burden on seniors across the nation.
"Ray and Gaylee are asking the courts to tell the FDA to respect people's rights to make their own medical decisions and allow them to buy safe, affordable drugs from Canada. Others in circumstances like the Andrews may be able to join this effort to change once and for all a law that discriminates against seniors and sick people in our country who can't get the drugs they need at the price they can afford," he said.
From KCRA-TV (Calif.):
Lawmakers Urged To Pass Prescription Drug Bills
The state Senate Health and Human Services Committee took up the issue of affordable prescription drugs Wednesday.
A group of seniors lobbied lawmakers to pass bills that would allow the state and make it easier for individuals to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies.
From the Seattle Post Intelligencer:
FDA chief won't lead Canada drug study
The Bush administration, responding to complaints from lawmakers, decided not to go ahead with the appointment of the government's food and drug regulator to lead a government study of importing drugs from Canada.
Tommy Thompson, health and human services secretary, told the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday that he was aware of the criticism of his decision last month to name Mark McClellan as chairman of a commission that is to report to Congress by December.
FDA chief won't lead Canada drug study
The Bush administration, responding to complaints from lawmakers, decided not to go ahead with the appointment of the government's food and drug regulator to lead a government study of importing drugs from Canada.
Tommy Thompson, health and human services secretary, told the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday that he was aware of the criticism of his decision last month to name Mark McClellan as chairman of a commission that is to report to Congress by December.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Minnesota, U.S. cross drug swords again
State Human Services Commissioner Kevin Goodno accused a top official of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday of exaggerating safety concerns that Minnesota inspectors found at Canadian mail-order pharmacies.
It was the latest volley in a battle of words between Minnesota and the FDA over the state's controversial Canadian mail-order drug program, MinnesotaRxConnect.
FDA Associate Commissioner William Hubbard, in a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty last month, "exaggerated either the breadth or severity of the deficiencies" that inspectors found, Goodno said in a letter faxed Tuesday to Hubbard.
From the Sacramento Bee:
Canada drug bills advance
The California Senate's health committee approved several bills Wednesday that would help state health programs and individual consumers buy cheaper medicines from Canada.
A broad coalition of groups representing seniors, patients, consumers, doctors and unions backed the proposals and called on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to join a growing number of governors nationwide who are pressuring senior Bush administration officials to legalize prescription drug imports from Canada.
Minnesota, U.S. cross drug swords again
State Human Services Commissioner Kevin Goodno accused a top official of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday of exaggerating safety concerns that Minnesota inspectors found at Canadian mail-order pharmacies.
It was the latest volley in a battle of words between Minnesota and the FDA over the state's controversial Canadian mail-order drug program, MinnesotaRxConnect.
FDA Associate Commissioner William Hubbard, in a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty last month, "exaggerated either the breadth or severity of the deficiencies" that inspectors found, Goodno said in a letter faxed Tuesday to Hubbard.
From the Sacramento Bee:
Canada drug bills advance
The California Senate's health committee approved several bills Wednesday that would help state health programs and individual consumers buy cheaper medicines from Canada.
A broad coalition of groups representing seniors, patients, consumers, doctors and unions backed the proposals and called on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to join a growing number of governors nationwide who are pressuring senior Bush administration officials to legalize prescription drug imports from Canada.
From the Monroe (Wisc.) Times:
Canadian drug costs cheaper, but pharmacists wary
As prescription drug costs continue to escalate, consumers are looking for ways to save money on the medicine they need. Now their shopping includes logging on to a new Web site which allows Wisconsin residents to purchase medication from Canada at a cheap price.
The new Web site is geared toward those who don't have insurance and have to pay cash up front for their prescriptions since health insurance providers in the United States do not cover the cost involved with prescription drugs from Canada. Those who are paying cash may see the Web site as a relief to the ever rising price of prescription medication.
From the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times:
Imported drugs get initial nod
Approving two bills that seek to lower pharmaceutical costs for consumers and California, a state Senate committee took a first step Wednesday toward authorizing the state's importation of prescription drugs from Canada.
In an 8-2 vote, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed SB1144, authored by Sen. John Burton, D-San Francisco. If approved by the Legislature, it will allow the California Department of General Services to purchase drugs from Canadian sources. In another 8-2 vote, the committee also approved SB1149, authored by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento. That bill authorizes California to set up a consumer Web site with links to Canadian pharmacies.
Canadian drug costs cheaper, but pharmacists wary
As prescription drug costs continue to escalate, consumers are looking for ways to save money on the medicine they need. Now their shopping includes logging on to a new Web site which allows Wisconsin residents to purchase medication from Canada at a cheap price.
The new Web site is geared toward those who don't have insurance and have to pay cash up front for their prescriptions since health insurance providers in the United States do not cover the cost involved with prescription drugs from Canada. Those who are paying cash may see the Web site as a relief to the ever rising price of prescription medication.
From the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times:
Imported drugs get initial nod
Approving two bills that seek to lower pharmaceutical costs for consumers and California, a state Senate committee took a first step Wednesday toward authorizing the state's importation of prescription drugs from Canada.
In an 8-2 vote, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed SB1144, authored by Sen. John Burton, D-San Francisco. If approved by the Legislature, it will allow the California Department of General Services to purchase drugs from Canadian sources. In another 8-2 vote, the committee also approved SB1149, authored by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento. That bill authorizes California to set up a consumer Web site with links to Canadian pharmacies.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
From the Toronto Star:
Drug firms fight Web sales
Despite a slowdown in cross-border Internet prescription drug sales at the end of last year, pharmaceutical companies remain worried the practice will hurt their bottom lines — and crucial research.
"In the long run, what it really does is just move profits from the pharmaceutical manufacturer to the retailer and wholesaler, so it really doesn't produce sustainable consumer savings over time," Robert Freeman, executive director of public policy at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, said in an interview at a conference on the issue yesterday in Toronto.
Kerry backs Canadian drugs
Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry has promised Americans unfettered access to cheaper Canadian prescription drugs, bringing the contentious issue to the forefront of an acrimonious U.S. election campaign.
Yesterday at a rally in Evanston, Ill., Kerry stood with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a leading proponent of drug reimportation, and an elderly couple who have sued the U.S. government for denying them cheaper Canadian medications.
From the Calgary Herald:
Province favouring cheap drug strategy
To cut costs, the province will consider a policy of insuring only the cheapest drugs available when sick or injured patients get their first prescription from a doctor, Alberta Health Minister Gary Mar said Tuesday.
"If an Aspirin works, perhaps an Aspirin is what you'll be on," he said. "If it doesn't work for you, you move on to increasingly higher-cost drugs."
Drug firms fight Web sales
Despite a slowdown in cross-border Internet prescription drug sales at the end of last year, pharmaceutical companies remain worried the practice will hurt their bottom lines — and crucial research.
"In the long run, what it really does is just move profits from the pharmaceutical manufacturer to the retailer and wholesaler, so it really doesn't produce sustainable consumer savings over time," Robert Freeman, executive director of public policy at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, said in an interview at a conference on the issue yesterday in Toronto.
Kerry backs Canadian drugs
Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry has promised Americans unfettered access to cheaper Canadian prescription drugs, bringing the contentious issue to the forefront of an acrimonious U.S. election campaign.
Yesterday at a rally in Evanston, Ill., Kerry stood with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a leading proponent of drug reimportation, and an elderly couple who have sued the U.S. government for denying them cheaper Canadian medications.
From the Calgary Herald:
Province favouring cheap drug strategy
To cut costs, the province will consider a policy of insuring only the cheapest drugs available when sick or injured patients get their first prescription from a doctor, Alberta Health Minister Gary Mar said Tuesday.
"If an Aspirin works, perhaps an Aspirin is what you'll be on," he said. "If it doesn't work for you, you move on to increasingly higher-cost drugs."
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
From WJRT-TV (Mich.):
Canadian drugs can save money
Many are avoiding the high prices of prescription drugs by purchasing them from Canada without ever leaving home. Darla Hernandez had more.
A Burton store is now offering drugs from Canada, which they say can save you up to 85 percent off the regular prices. Some say it may be cheaper, but is it safer?
Canadian drugs can save money
Many are avoiding the high prices of prescription drugs by purchasing them from Canada without ever leaving home. Darla Hernandez had more.
A Burton store is now offering drugs from Canada, which they say can save you up to 85 percent off the regular prices. Some say it may be cheaper, but is it safer?
From the Toronto Star:
Ottawa urged to take stand on Internet pharmacies
The federal government has to move away from its laissez-faire approach to Internet pharmacies and either ban the industry or regulate it, a pharmacy conference was told today.
As speakers and delegates debated the pros and cons of the rapidly expanding industry, many said clearer direction from Ottawa would ease the frustrations of doctors, pharmacists, regulatory bodies, patients - even online pharmacies - as they try to navigate largely unchartered waters.
From the UW Student (University of Waterloo, Ontario):
Shortage of pharmacists creates need for new school
A nation-wide shortage of pharmacists means graduates of UW's proposed school of pharmacy would be in high demand. Currently, more than two-thirds of pharmacists working in Ontario get their degrees outside of the province.
The University of Toronto, Ontario's only school of pharmacy, accepted 180 students this year, only 15% of the 1,200 applications they received.
Although demand is difficult to predict, the shortage is expected to persist at least into the foreseeable future. Canada could be short more than 2,000 pharmacists and the situation in Ontario is even worse — the Canadian Pharmacists' Association reports that Ontario has 15% fewer pharmacists per capita than the Canadian average.
From CBC.ca:
Kerry endorses cheaper pills from Canada as drug import debate heats up
Democrat John Kerry weighed in Tuesday on the prescription drug debate in the latest sign that importing cheaper medicines from Canada is fast becoming a major U.S. election issue.
Kerry, the presumed presidential candidate for his party in this fall's election, said he supports imports as he met seniors in Evanston, Ill., to outline his drug agenda. "This president promised us a prescription drug plan that would stop America's seniors from being forced to choose between their medicine and their groceries," he said.
Ottawa urged to take stand on Internet pharmacies
The federal government has to move away from its laissez-faire approach to Internet pharmacies and either ban the industry or regulate it, a pharmacy conference was told today.
As speakers and delegates debated the pros and cons of the rapidly expanding industry, many said clearer direction from Ottawa would ease the frustrations of doctors, pharmacists, regulatory bodies, patients - even online pharmacies - as they try to navigate largely unchartered waters.
From the UW Student (University of Waterloo, Ontario):
Shortage of pharmacists creates need for new school
A nation-wide shortage of pharmacists means graduates of UW's proposed school of pharmacy would be in high demand. Currently, more than two-thirds of pharmacists working in Ontario get their degrees outside of the province.
The University of Toronto, Ontario's only school of pharmacy, accepted 180 students this year, only 15% of the 1,200 applications they received.
Although demand is difficult to predict, the shortage is expected to persist at least into the foreseeable future. Canada could be short more than 2,000 pharmacists and the situation in Ontario is even worse — the Canadian Pharmacists' Association reports that Ontario has 15% fewer pharmacists per capita than the Canadian average.
From CBC.ca:
Kerry endorses cheaper pills from Canada as drug import debate heats up
Democrat John Kerry weighed in Tuesday on the prescription drug debate in the latest sign that importing cheaper medicines from Canada is fast becoming a major U.S. election issue.
Kerry, the presumed presidential candidate for his party in this fall's election, said he supports imports as he met seniors in Evanston, Ill., to outline his drug agenda. "This president promised us a prescription drug plan that would stop America's seniors from being forced to choose between their medicine and their groceries," he said.
Monday, March 08, 2004
From the La Crosse (Wisc.) Tribune:
Seniors at odds with doctors over Canadian drugs
Some La Crosse area seniors have reported problems getting prescriptions refilled when doctors discover they plan to order drugs from Canada, aging unit officials said Monday.
"We've had a few situations where doctors denied prescriptions when they heard the seniors were getting drugs in Canada, and doctors have no business telling their patients where to get their drugs," said Tina Johnson, elderly benefits specialist with the La Crosse County Aging Unit.
Other seniors are being discouraged by doctors from getting their drugs from Canada pharmacies or using the state of Wisconsin prescription drug site, which was unveiled last month, Johnson said. "We had one gentleman who switched doctors because of it," she said.
Seniors at odds with doctors over Canadian drugs
Some La Crosse area seniors have reported problems getting prescriptions refilled when doctors discover they plan to order drugs from Canada, aging unit officials said Monday.
"We've had a few situations where doctors denied prescriptions when they heard the seniors were getting drugs in Canada, and doctors have no business telling their patients where to get their drugs," said Tina Johnson, elderly benefits specialist with the La Crosse County Aging Unit.
Other seniors are being discouraged by doctors from getting their drugs from Canada pharmacies or using the state of Wisconsin prescription drug site, which was unveiled last month, Johnson said. "We had one gentleman who switched doctors because of it," she said.
From Yahoo News:
Medicare Pick Will Look at Safe Drug Imports
President Bush's nominee to run the Medicare program promised on Monday to help examine whether lower-priced prescription drugs can be safely imported, despite his aggressive stance against importation in his current job heading the Food and Drug Administration.
McClellan has drawn praise from Democrats and Republicans, but a few senators have threatened to hold up his nomination to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services because they are upset with his opposition to drug importation.
From the Flint (Mich.) Journal:
2nd storefront pharmacy offers drugs from Canada
Tushar Patel is making money in different ways. First, in cappuccino and bagels, and now by helping seniors and the uninsured buy cheaper drugs from Canada.
"I want to save seniors money on their medicines. That's my motive," said Patel, a former northern Oakland County resident who now lives in Troy.
From the Olympian (Wash.)::
Area seniors say Canadian mail-order drugs are safe
U.S. Food and Drug Agency officials say consumers are risking their health when they illegally import drugs from Canada, but local seniors say the government warnings are just an attempt to scare them.
Canadian government officials are also beginning to take a harder look at cross-border drug traffic because some American drug manufacturers are cutting off supplies to Canadian pharmacies set up to serve Americans.
Medicare Pick Will Look at Safe Drug Imports
President Bush's nominee to run the Medicare program promised on Monday to help examine whether lower-priced prescription drugs can be safely imported, despite his aggressive stance against importation in his current job heading the Food and Drug Administration.
McClellan has drawn praise from Democrats and Republicans, but a few senators have threatened to hold up his nomination to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services because they are upset with his opposition to drug importation.
From the Flint (Mich.) Journal:
2nd storefront pharmacy offers drugs from Canada
Tushar Patel is making money in different ways. First, in cappuccino and bagels, and now by helping seniors and the uninsured buy cheaper drugs from Canada.
"I want to save seniors money on their medicines. That's my motive," said Patel, a former northern Oakland County resident who now lives in Troy.
From the Olympian (Wash.)::
Area seniors say Canadian mail-order drugs are safe
U.S. Food and Drug Agency officials say consumers are risking their health when they illegally import drugs from Canada, but local seniors say the government warnings are just an attempt to scare them.
Canadian government officials are also beginning to take a harder look at cross-border drug traffic because some American drug manufacturers are cutting off supplies to Canadian pharmacies set up to serve Americans.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
From the New York Times:
Looking to Canadian Web Pharmacies for Savings
Can Canadian Internet pharmacists provide a cure for high prescription drug prices in the United States? Or are they part of the problem? American regulators and lawmakers are split on the issue, even as the pharmaceutical industry continues trying to fight Canadian drug wholesalers and online retailers who have carved out a market south of the border.
From the Quad City (Iowa) Times:
Illinoisans flock to Canada for refills
They stare out the luxury coach windows with a collective gleam in their eyes, fidgeting with the same excitement children reserve for vacations.
For some, it is a vacation of sorts. For others, it’s a money-saving trip to the Promised Land of prescription drugs — Canada — where medications go for up to 50 percent less than the bill at a U.S. pharmacy.
Looking to Canadian Web Pharmacies for Savings
Can Canadian Internet pharmacists provide a cure for high prescription drug prices in the United States? Or are they part of the problem? American regulators and lawmakers are split on the issue, even as the pharmaceutical industry continues trying to fight Canadian drug wholesalers and online retailers who have carved out a market south of the border.
From the Quad City (Iowa) Times:
Illinoisans flock to Canada for refills
They stare out the luxury coach windows with a collective gleam in their eyes, fidgeting with the same excitement children reserve for vacations.
For some, it is a vacation of sorts. For others, it’s a money-saving trip to the Promised Land of prescription drugs — Canada — where medications go for up to 50 percent less than the bill at a U.S. pharmacy.
From the Tullahoma (Tenn.) News:
Sen. Cooper is continuing his push for importing drugs from Canada
Sen. Jerry Cooper (D-Morrison) last week continued his push for a pilot program of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Cooper said such a program could result in significant savings for Tennesseans.
"Prescription drug costs are rising at an alarming rate," Cooper said.
"It's not unusual to see double-digit increases in prescription drug prices from year-to-year. What's truly shocking is that Americans pay far more for the same drug as citizens in Canada and other countries around the world.
From Forbes:
Senior lobby AARP to push industry on Canada drugs
AARP, the lobbying powerhouse of 36 million U.S. senior citizens, will "ratchet up" pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to convince them not to block importation of cheaper prescriptions from Canada, the group's chief executive said on Wednesday.
"It's a fact of life -- people go to to Canada, they go to Mexico" because they can't afford steep drug prices here, said William Novelli, chief executive officer at AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons. "This is a national embarrassment that Americans have to go abroad to be able to afford their drugs."
From the Stanford Report:
'The cow is out of the barn' on gap in prescription drug costs
The effort by the FDA and pharmaceutical companies to convince U.S. consumers that there are compelling safety reasons for the differences in price between drugs purchased in the United States and drugs purchased in Canada is like trying to convince a passenger who paid $2,400 for a plane ticket who is sitting next to a passenger who paid $450 that the first passenger got a good deal, he said. The FDA is "trying to convince the American public that they aren't in the same plane as the people sitting next to them -- that the Canadians' plane is more likely to crash or not arrive on time." It hasn't succeeded, he said.
Sen. Cooper is continuing his push for importing drugs from Canada
Sen. Jerry Cooper (D-Morrison) last week continued his push for a pilot program of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Cooper said such a program could result in significant savings for Tennesseans.
"Prescription drug costs are rising at an alarming rate," Cooper said.
"It's not unusual to see double-digit increases in prescription drug prices from year-to-year. What's truly shocking is that Americans pay far more for the same drug as citizens in Canada and other countries around the world.
From Forbes:
Senior lobby AARP to push industry on Canada drugs
AARP, the lobbying powerhouse of 36 million U.S. senior citizens, will "ratchet up" pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to convince them not to block importation of cheaper prescriptions from Canada, the group's chief executive said on Wednesday.
"It's a fact of life -- people go to to Canada, they go to Mexico" because they can't afford steep drug prices here, said William Novelli, chief executive officer at AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons. "This is a national embarrassment that Americans have to go abroad to be able to afford their drugs."
From the Stanford Report:
'The cow is out of the barn' on gap in prescription drug costs
The effort by the FDA and pharmaceutical companies to convince U.S. consumers that there are compelling safety reasons for the differences in price between drugs purchased in the United States and drugs purchased in Canada is like trying to convince a passenger who paid $2,400 for a plane ticket who is sitting next to a passenger who paid $450 that the first passenger got a good deal, he said. The FDA is "trying to convince the American public that they aren't in the same plane as the people sitting next to them -- that the Canadians' plane is more likely to crash or not arrive on time." It hasn't succeeded, he said.
From CTV.ca:
Nova Scotia pharmacists recommend Rx database
A recent spate of deaths in Nova Scotia linked to prescription drug abuse should serve as a wake-up call to other provinces that don't have electronic databases that track pharmaceuticals, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says.
The illegal practice known as double doctoring, where pushers or addicts get multiple prescriptions from unwitting doctors, is difficult to stop unless provinces set up such systems, says association spokesman Barry Power.
From the Halifax Herald:
High-priced help eludes rare-illness sufferers
A few Nova Scotians with an extremely rare disease hope the province will pay the high cost of just-approved treatments they think can save their lives.
With about 70 patients, Nova Scotia has an above-average number of people with Fabry disease. Canada has about 300 Fabry patients and there are about 5,000 worldwide.
Nova Scotia pharmacists recommend Rx database
A recent spate of deaths in Nova Scotia linked to prescription drug abuse should serve as a wake-up call to other provinces that don't have electronic databases that track pharmaceuticals, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says.
The illegal practice known as double doctoring, where pushers or addicts get multiple prescriptions from unwitting doctors, is difficult to stop unless provinces set up such systems, says association spokesman Barry Power.
From the Halifax Herald:
High-priced help eludes rare-illness sufferers
A few Nova Scotians with an extremely rare disease hope the province will pay the high cost of just-approved treatments they think can save their lives.
With about 70 patients, Nova Scotia has an above-average number of people with Fabry disease. Canada has about 300 Fabry patients and there are about 5,000 worldwide.
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