From the Providence (RI) Journal:
House approves bill allowing licensing for Canadian pharmacies
The Senate on Thursday moved to eliminate an obstacle to purchasing medications from Canada, approving a bill allowing Canadian pharmacies to be licensed in Rhode Island.
State law requires pharmacies outside the state to be licensed to sell in Rhode Island. While the bill removes one to allowing Rhode Islanders to purchase drugs from Canada, it's unclear whether federal law would permit the sales.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
From the Providence (RI) Journal:
Canadian pharmacy proposal gains momentum
As the House yesterday unanimously passed a bill that would remove the barriers in state law against sales by Canadian pharmacies to Rhode Island customers, Governor Carcieri, for the first time, indicated his support for the measure.
"The governor believes we need to begin to take direct action to reduce drug costs for Rhode Islanders," said Carcieri's spokesman, Jeff Neal. "He also believes and hopes that this will send a message to the federal government that the time to act [to reduce medication costs] is now."
From the News Review (OR):
Roseburg branch of Canada Drug Supply remains open -- for now
While two Lane County branches of Canada Drug Supply are closing under pressure from federal and state regulators, a Roseburg branch remains open, at least for the time being.
Chris and Racyne Willis, owners of Canada Drug at 178 N.W. Garden Valley Blvd., said although the store has a good client base, increased scrutiny from the government could put them out of business.
"We're under a lot of pressure," Chris Willis said. "But we're trying to keep things going."
From the Corvallis (OR) Gazette Times:
Drugstore crackdown miffs DeFazio
Congressman Peter DeFazio is protesting a state crackdown on businesses that help Oregonians get less expensive medications from Canada, and he challenged the governor to help.
"The Oregon Board of Pharmacy is cracking down on these drug outlets in the name of safety and protecting the health of Oregonians, but in reality the only thing they are protecting is the profits of the wealthy and politically connected pharmaceutical industry," the 4th District Democrat wrote in a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Canadian pharmacy proposal gains momentum
As the House yesterday unanimously passed a bill that would remove the barriers in state law against sales by Canadian pharmacies to Rhode Island customers, Governor Carcieri, for the first time, indicated his support for the measure.
"The governor believes we need to begin to take direct action to reduce drug costs for Rhode Islanders," said Carcieri's spokesman, Jeff Neal. "He also believes and hopes that this will send a message to the federal government that the time to act [to reduce medication costs] is now."
From the News Review (OR):
Roseburg branch of Canada Drug Supply remains open -- for now
While two Lane County branches of Canada Drug Supply are closing under pressure from federal and state regulators, a Roseburg branch remains open, at least for the time being.
Chris and Racyne Willis, owners of Canada Drug at 178 N.W. Garden Valley Blvd., said although the store has a good client base, increased scrutiny from the government could put them out of business.
"We're under a lot of pressure," Chris Willis said. "But we're trying to keep things going."
From the Corvallis (OR) Gazette Times:
Drugstore crackdown miffs DeFazio
Congressman Peter DeFazio is protesting a state crackdown on businesses that help Oregonians get less expensive medications from Canada, and he challenged the governor to help.
"The Oregon Board of Pharmacy is cracking down on these drug outlets in the name of safety and protecting the health of Oregonians, but in reality the only thing they are protecting is the profits of the wealthy and politically connected pharmaceutical industry," the 4th District Democrat wrote in a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
From Bloomberg:
Canadian Drug Officials Voice Concern Over Imports
U.S. imports of prescription drugs are causing shortages in Canada and have raised concerns about patient safety, Canadian pharmacy authorities told a U.S. panel studying the cross-border sales.
The 13-member panel, appointed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, is examining whether medicines can be imported safely. The meeting in Rockville, Maryland, was the fourth in a series of public hearings.
From Reuters (UK):
Drug Imports Would Hurt Research -Economists
Legalizing importation of medicines may provide a quick fix for some Americans struggling to pay high U.S. prices but would force drug makers to cut research budgets, economists told a U.S. task force on Tuesday.
Their arguments echoed drug industry complaints that giving Americans legal access to cheaper medicines would reduce company revenues and leave less money to develop new treatments.
Canadian Drug Officials Voice Concern Over Imports
U.S. imports of prescription drugs are causing shortages in Canada and have raised concerns about patient safety, Canadian pharmacy authorities told a U.S. panel studying the cross-border sales.
The 13-member panel, appointed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, is examining whether medicines can be imported safely. The meeting in Rockville, Maryland, was the fourth in a series of public hearings.
From Reuters (UK):
Drug Imports Would Hurt Research -Economists
Legalizing importation of medicines may provide a quick fix for some Americans struggling to pay high U.S. prices but would force drug makers to cut research budgets, economists told a U.S. task force on Tuesday.
Their arguments echoed drug industry complaints that giving Americans legal access to cheaper medicines would reduce company revenues and leave less money to develop new treatments.
Monday, April 26, 2004
From Reuters (UK):
Drug Firms Withheld Negative Data -Study
Drug companies withheld information showing antidepressants were ineffective and could be harmful to children and should have issued warnings on their products, researchers said on Friday.
Health authorities in Britain and the United States have voiced concern or advised doctors not to prescribe the drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to children under 18 because of a potential suicide risk.
Scientists who conducted a review of six published and six unpublished trials about their use in children say companies had been aware of problems but did not reveal them.
From Wired News:
Damaging Drug Study? Bury It
The risks for children taking some antidepressants could outweigh the benefits, according to an analysis of data that pharmaceutical companies did not make widely available to the public or to researchers.
Researchers in the United Kingdom analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of antidepressants and placebos in children from 5 to 18 years old. Data on four out of the five antidepressants examined showed the drugs had the potential to do more harm than good in depressed kids, according to research published in the April issue of the British medical journal The Lancet.
From the Fort Wayne (IN) Journal Gazette:
Anti-depressant safety challenged
Four popular anti-depressants being used to treat thousands of depressed American children are unsafe, ineffective or both, according to the first careful scientific review to include all available studies, including negative data that has long been withheld from public scrutiny by the pharmaceutical industry.
It is especially dangerous to prescribe Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor and Celexa for children who are suicidal, said British researchers who conducted the analysis published Thursday in the journal The Lancet, because the data show a clear increase in the risk of suicidal behavior among children taking the drugs - and no benefit.
Drug Firms Withheld Negative Data -Study
Drug companies withheld information showing antidepressants were ineffective and could be harmful to children and should have issued warnings on their products, researchers said on Friday.
Health authorities in Britain and the United States have voiced concern or advised doctors not to prescribe the drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to children under 18 because of a potential suicide risk.
Scientists who conducted a review of six published and six unpublished trials about their use in children say companies had been aware of problems but did not reveal them.
From Wired News:
Damaging Drug Study? Bury It
The risks for children taking some antidepressants could outweigh the benefits, according to an analysis of data that pharmaceutical companies did not make widely available to the public or to researchers.
Researchers in the United Kingdom analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of antidepressants and placebos in children from 5 to 18 years old. Data on four out of the five antidepressants examined showed the drugs had the potential to do more harm than good in depressed kids, according to research published in the April issue of the British medical journal The Lancet.
From the Fort Wayne (IN) Journal Gazette:
Anti-depressant safety challenged
Four popular anti-depressants being used to treat thousands of depressed American children are unsafe, ineffective or both, according to the first careful scientific review to include all available studies, including negative data that has long been withheld from public scrutiny by the pharmaceutical industry.
It is especially dangerous to prescribe Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor and Celexa for children who are suicidal, said British researchers who conducted the analysis published Thursday in the journal The Lancet, because the data show a clear increase in the risk of suicidal behavior among children taking the drugs - and no benefit.
From News-Medical.Net:
Canadian doctors oblivious to costs of prescribed drugs
For the most part, family physicians in British Columbia aren't even close when they guess the costs of the treatments and tests they prescribe for their patients, according to a new study published in the journal Canadian Family Physician.
Seventy-three per cent of the doctors surveyed could not estimate the costs of their orders to patients within 25 per cent of the actual costs. And not only do they not know the costs, in many cases they are "wild" in their guessing, says Dr. Michael Allan, a professor in the U of A Department of Family Medicine and a co-author of the study. The research involved analyzing the survey responses of 259 doctors in British Columbia.
From the Globe and Mail:
The truth about hormone treatment -- and why you didn't hear it sooner
When Sandy Bohl began to experience the hot flashes of menopause 10 years ago, she was advised to undergo hormone-replacement therapy.
"My doctor said to me, 'You absolutely have to go on it or your skin is going to dry up, your vagina will dry up . . . you'll get osteoporosis and heart disease,' " recalled Ms. Bohl, a Toronto actress and model.
Canadian doctors oblivious to costs of prescribed drugs
For the most part, family physicians in British Columbia aren't even close when they guess the costs of the treatments and tests they prescribe for their patients, according to a new study published in the journal Canadian Family Physician.
Seventy-three per cent of the doctors surveyed could not estimate the costs of their orders to patients within 25 per cent of the actual costs. And not only do they not know the costs, in many cases they are "wild" in their guessing, says Dr. Michael Allan, a professor in the U of A Department of Family Medicine and a co-author of the study. The research involved analyzing the survey responses of 259 doctors in British Columbia.
From the Globe and Mail:
The truth about hormone treatment -- and why you didn't hear it sooner
When Sandy Bohl began to experience the hot flashes of menopause 10 years ago, she was advised to undergo hormone-replacement therapy.
"My doctor said to me, 'You absolutely have to go on it or your skin is going to dry up, your vagina will dry up . . . you'll get osteoporosis and heart disease,' " recalled Ms. Bohl, a Toronto actress and model.
From the Phoenix Business Journal:
McCain backs new push for Canadian drug imports
Arizona Sen. John McCain has signed onto a renewed effort in the U.S. Senate to allow for the importation of less expensive Canadian prescription drugs.
Lifting Food and Drug Administration restrictions on Canadian drugs is garnering increasing support on Capitol Hill and from several governors worried about high drug costs. McCain is a top Republican driver of the issue in Washington.
From the New York Times:
Viagra and the Battle of the Awkward Ads
Advertising has had its share of nasty three-way battles over the years: McDonald's vs. Burger King vs. Wendy's. Bud Light vs. Miller Lite vs. Coors Light. Toyota vs. Nissan vs. Honda. Kellogg's vs. Post vs. General Mills.
Now comes Viagra vs. Levitra vs. Cialis. It is a Madison Avenue dream. And nightmare.
It is a dream because the three rivals are flush with cash and eager to compete aggressively in a market that is already big and is forecast to grow fast. Ad agencies have been panting like lovesick suitors over the idea of clients willing to spend more than $300 million this year when many other clients are pinching pennies.
The problem is that the products in question treat erectile dysfunction, a condition, like adult incontinence or hemorrhoids, that is hard to discuss without being too vague or too vulgar. So the advertisers have to figure out how to build customer demand and loyalty without offending people and without providing additional fodder for endless gags by late-night talk-show hosts.
McCain backs new push for Canadian drug imports
Arizona Sen. John McCain has signed onto a renewed effort in the U.S. Senate to allow for the importation of less expensive Canadian prescription drugs.
Lifting Food and Drug Administration restrictions on Canadian drugs is garnering increasing support on Capitol Hill and from several governors worried about high drug costs. McCain is a top Republican driver of the issue in Washington.
From the New York Times:
Viagra and the Battle of the Awkward Ads
Advertising has had its share of nasty three-way battles over the years: McDonald's vs. Burger King vs. Wendy's. Bud Light vs. Miller Lite vs. Coors Light. Toyota vs. Nissan vs. Honda. Kellogg's vs. Post vs. General Mills.
Now comes Viagra vs. Levitra vs. Cialis. It is a Madison Avenue dream. And nightmare.
It is a dream because the three rivals are flush with cash and eager to compete aggressively in a market that is already big and is forecast to grow fast. Ad agencies have been panting like lovesick suitors over the idea of clients willing to spend more than $300 million this year when many other clients are pinching pennies.
The problem is that the products in question treat erectile dysfunction, a condition, like adult incontinence or hemorrhoids, that is hard to discuss without being too vague or too vulgar. So the advertisers have to figure out how to build customer demand and loyalty without offending people and without providing additional fodder for endless gags by late-night talk-show hosts.
From NBC San Diego:
Does Your Medicine Cabinet Need Spring Cleaning?
When was the last time you took a good look inside your medicine cabinet?
Charles Hall, of Oak Park, Mich., was worried his cabinet wouldn't stand up to a pharmacist's scrutiny, but Diana Sigler, a pharmacist at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich., gave him high marks.
Unlike many people, Hall throws away expired medications and lotions -- except for one bottle of expired castor oil that was found in his cabinet.
Does Your Medicine Cabinet Need Spring Cleaning?
When was the last time you took a good look inside your medicine cabinet?
Charles Hall, of Oak Park, Mich., was worried his cabinet wouldn't stand up to a pharmacist's scrutiny, but Diana Sigler, a pharmacist at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich., gave him high marks.
Unlike many people, Hall throws away expired medications and lotions -- except for one bottle of expired castor oil that was found in his cabinet.
From the Manitowoc (Wisc.) Herald Times:
Cheaper Canadian drugs in demand
The demand for cheaper prescription drugs is everywhere and people are turning north for an answer.
An estimated 1.5 million U.S. residents rely on Canadian mail-order pharmacies for discounts on prescription drugs.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate got in on the issue by unveiling a bipartisan bill that would make it an illegal restraint of trade for pharmaceutical companies to limit supplies as a way of undercutting sales from Canada to the U.S.
From the Milwaukee Freeman Newspapers:
Drug wars
It's a tough choice: Prescription medication or food.
And as the cost of medication continues to soar and health insurance coverage is nipped back, it's one more people people may be forced to make.
But should people become forced to decide? Dewayne Stiefvater, a West Bend resident who is involved in the local chapter of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), says there has to be another alternative.
Cheaper Canadian drugs in demand
The demand for cheaper prescription drugs is everywhere and people are turning north for an answer.
An estimated 1.5 million U.S. residents rely on Canadian mail-order pharmacies for discounts on prescription drugs.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate got in on the issue by unveiling a bipartisan bill that would make it an illegal restraint of trade for pharmaceutical companies to limit supplies as a way of undercutting sales from Canada to the U.S.
From the Milwaukee Freeman Newspapers:
Drug wars
It's a tough choice: Prescription medication or food.
And as the cost of medication continues to soar and health insurance coverage is nipped back, it's one more people people may be forced to make.
But should people become forced to decide? Dewayne Stiefvater, a West Bend resident who is involved in the local chapter of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), says there has to be another alternative.
From the Globe and Mail:
Crackdown taking toll on Internet pharmacies
A major Internet pharmacy in Winnipeg issued layoff notices to more than 10 per cent of its staff this week, the first of many belt-tightening measures expected as the bitter war between Canada's cross-border drug sellers and multinational pharmaceutical giants begins to hurt the fledgling on-line business.
CanadaMeds.com told about 20 of its 180 Winnipeg employees that their jobs have disappeared since the company was forced to shift some operations to Britain.
From CBC New Brunswick:
Internet prescribing siphons supply: Druggists
Some New Brunswick pharmacists say they're struggling to keep drugs in stock because the internet prescription drug trade is draining the Canadian supply.
Pharmacist Stephen Thompson keeps a close watch on his supply of pharmaceuticals. He says it's hard to keep up with the demand.
Crackdown taking toll on Internet pharmacies
A major Internet pharmacy in Winnipeg issued layoff notices to more than 10 per cent of its staff this week, the first of many belt-tightening measures expected as the bitter war between Canada's cross-border drug sellers and multinational pharmaceutical giants begins to hurt the fledgling on-line business.
CanadaMeds.com told about 20 of its 180 Winnipeg employees that their jobs have disappeared since the company was forced to shift some operations to Britain.
From CBC New Brunswick:
Internet prescribing siphons supply: Druggists
Some New Brunswick pharmacists say they're struggling to keep drugs in stock because the internet prescription drug trade is draining the Canadian supply.
Pharmacist Stephen Thompson keeps a close watch on his supply of pharmaceuticals. He says it's hard to keep up with the demand.
From the Aberdeen (SD) News:
Is reimportation coming? It's looking good
There may be light at the end of the tunnel for those bogged down in a financial mire by the high cost of prescription drugs.
Legislation is gathering steam in Congress to allow the importation of cheaper drugs from Canada and other countries. The legislation will also get the government involved in enforcing safety measures that opponents currently use to justify their stance against such re-importation.
From Investors Business Daily:
Drug-import issue a hot button for statehouses and D.C.
Spurred by the soaring costs of prescription drugs, more than 2 million Americans are currently buying their medicine from Canada, making drug importation a hot topic on Capitol Hill as well as in many states.
A growing number of states -- struggling with shrinking budgets and rising health-care costs for their workers and residents -- are attempting to sidestep Food and Drug Administration regulations banning foreign drug imports and are encouraging residents to import drugs.
From the Boston Globe:
Stoughton weighs Canada drug option
Exploring ways to reduce costs, town officials are considering adopting a voluntary prescription drug program that calls for Stoughton to buy less expensive medicine from Canada.
Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz said that if the town can save an estimated $75,000 to $100,000, the program would be worthwhile.
"It's a potential cost savings that you have to look at," he said.
From the Portales (NM) News Tribune:
Local pharmacists concerned about international prescription drugs
Pharmacists in Portales are concerned about support for legalizing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and Europe.
Dick Haverland, pharmacist at C.J.’s Pill Box Pharmacy, said his main concern was guaranteeing the purity of medications and ensuring they wouldn’t be forgeries.
From the Albany (OR) Democrat Herald:
Drug store crackdown miffs DeFazio
Congressman Peter DeFazio is protesting a state crackdown on businesses that help Oregonians get less expensive medications from Canada, and he challenged the governor to help.
"The Oregon Board of Pharmacy is cracking down on these drug outlets in the name of safety and protecting the health of Oregonians, but in reality the only thing they are protecting is the profits of the wealthy and politically connected pharmaceutical industry," the 4th District Democrat wrote in a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Is reimportation coming? It's looking good
There may be light at the end of the tunnel for those bogged down in a financial mire by the high cost of prescription drugs.
Legislation is gathering steam in Congress to allow the importation of cheaper drugs from Canada and other countries. The legislation will also get the government involved in enforcing safety measures that opponents currently use to justify their stance against such re-importation.
From Investors Business Daily:
Drug-import issue a hot button for statehouses and D.C.
Spurred by the soaring costs of prescription drugs, more than 2 million Americans are currently buying their medicine from Canada, making drug importation a hot topic on Capitol Hill as well as in many states.
A growing number of states -- struggling with shrinking budgets and rising health-care costs for their workers and residents -- are attempting to sidestep Food and Drug Administration regulations banning foreign drug imports and are encouraging residents to import drugs.
From the Boston Globe:
Stoughton weighs Canada drug option
Exploring ways to reduce costs, town officials are considering adopting a voluntary prescription drug program that calls for Stoughton to buy less expensive medicine from Canada.
Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz said that if the town can save an estimated $75,000 to $100,000, the program would be worthwhile.
"It's a potential cost savings that you have to look at," he said.
From the Portales (NM) News Tribune:
Local pharmacists concerned about international prescription drugs
Pharmacists in Portales are concerned about support for legalizing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and Europe.
Dick Haverland, pharmacist at C.J.’s Pill Box Pharmacy, said his main concern was guaranteeing the purity of medications and ensuring they wouldn’t be forgeries.
From the Albany (OR) Democrat Herald:
Drug store crackdown miffs DeFazio
Congressman Peter DeFazio is protesting a state crackdown on businesses that help Oregonians get less expensive medications from Canada, and he challenged the governor to help.
"The Oregon Board of Pharmacy is cracking down on these drug outlets in the name of safety and protecting the health of Oregonians, but in reality the only thing they are protecting is the profits of the wealthy and politically connected pharmaceutical industry," the 4th District Democrat wrote in a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
From CBC Manitoba:
Pink slips hit web pharmacies
Internet pharmacies are one of the fastest-growing industries in Manitoba – but job losses on Monday have caused some to question how much longer they can survive.
The success of internet pharmacies is based on offering brand-name drugs to Americans at lower Canadian prices.
Large pharmaceutical companies have been fighting back by restricting drug sales to online pharmacies. Now many pharmacies don't have enough supplies to sell to their U.S. customers – and they're starting to feel the pinch.
From CBS Chicago:
Giuliani Fights Import Of Cheaper Drugs
It’s already been the subject of millions of dollars of campaign commercials this year in Illinois, and it's a top priority for Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Now, the practice of importing less-expensive prescription drugs is coming under fire from former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who says it's fraught with peril.
The former mayor is joining the imported drug debate as a hired gun, though Giuliani declined to say just how much the pharmaceutical industry is paying him.
From KELOLAND (SD):
Seeking Rx Relief to the North
When the purse strings get tight around your house, what's the first thing to go? Unfortunately, for many seniors, it's their monthly prescriptions. A recent Harvard study finds that as co-pays soar, and prescription prices skyrocket, many sticker-shocked patients are skipping their meds. The woman you are about to meet is among them.
After dealing with diabetes, arthritis, an enlarged heart, a stroke and osteoporosis, 80-year-old Gertie Breen got used to popping 17 pills a day. She says, "Every day when I take and look at those pills in the morning, when I had to take them, it was just about all I could do not to throw 'em, just throw 'em! It was maddening." What she and her husband, Norman, couldn't get used to was watching their monthly pharmacy bill climb. Norman Breen adds, "We'd go to the pharmacy and we had so much money for prescriptions and here it was 25-30 dollars more than what we figured."
From the Coos Bay (OR) World:
State regulators shut down the Canadian connection
Paul Pfeiffer of Eugene saves $2,000 a year buying his three name-brand medications from a pharmacy in Canada.
Drug bills for Herbert Barnes of Springfield used to run as much as $4,500 a year. Now that he's ordering the same drugs from Canada, those costs are down to $600 a year.
Pfeiffer, 86, and Barnes, 90, rely on Canada Drug Supply, a local company with outlets in Eugene and Springfield, for the steep drug discounts. The business helps customers with prescriptions from local doctors obtain their medications by mail from Canada.
At the end of the month, however, Canada Drug Supply will lose Barnes and Pfeiffer as customers, along with the other 2,000-plus clients the business serves. That's because the firm will close its operations rather than face state fines.
Pink slips hit web pharmacies
Internet pharmacies are one of the fastest-growing industries in Manitoba – but job losses on Monday have caused some to question how much longer they can survive.
The success of internet pharmacies is based on offering brand-name drugs to Americans at lower Canadian prices.
Large pharmaceutical companies have been fighting back by restricting drug sales to online pharmacies. Now many pharmacies don't have enough supplies to sell to their U.S. customers – and they're starting to feel the pinch.
From CBS Chicago:
Giuliani Fights Import Of Cheaper Drugs
It’s already been the subject of millions of dollars of campaign commercials this year in Illinois, and it's a top priority for Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Now, the practice of importing less-expensive prescription drugs is coming under fire from former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who says it's fraught with peril.
The former mayor is joining the imported drug debate as a hired gun, though Giuliani declined to say just how much the pharmaceutical industry is paying him.
From KELOLAND (SD):
Seeking Rx Relief to the North
When the purse strings get tight around your house, what's the first thing to go? Unfortunately, for many seniors, it's their monthly prescriptions. A recent Harvard study finds that as co-pays soar, and prescription prices skyrocket, many sticker-shocked patients are skipping their meds. The woman you are about to meet is among them.
After dealing with diabetes, arthritis, an enlarged heart, a stroke and osteoporosis, 80-year-old Gertie Breen got used to popping 17 pills a day. She says, "Every day when I take and look at those pills in the morning, when I had to take them, it was just about all I could do not to throw 'em, just throw 'em! It was maddening." What she and her husband, Norman, couldn't get used to was watching their monthly pharmacy bill climb. Norman Breen adds, "We'd go to the pharmacy and we had so much money for prescriptions and here it was 25-30 dollars more than what we figured."
From the Coos Bay (OR) World:
State regulators shut down the Canadian connection
Paul Pfeiffer of Eugene saves $2,000 a year buying his three name-brand medications from a pharmacy in Canada.
Drug bills for Herbert Barnes of Springfield used to run as much as $4,500 a year. Now that he's ordering the same drugs from Canada, those costs are down to $600 a year.
Pfeiffer, 86, and Barnes, 90, rely on Canada Drug Supply, a local company with outlets in Eugene and Springfield, for the steep drug discounts. The business helps customers with prescriptions from local doctors obtain their medications by mail from Canada.
At the end of the month, however, Canada Drug Supply will lose Barnes and Pfeiffer as customers, along with the other 2,000-plus clients the business serves. That's because the firm will close its operations rather than face state fines.
Friday, April 23, 2004
From the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Pfizer restates opposition to Canadian drugs
Pfizer Inc. refused to budge Thursday from its opposition to Americans seeking cheaper prescription medicines from Canada - despite what Minnesota's governor calls a widening election-year "prairie fire" push to legalize the practice.
As about a dozen seniors protested the company's stance outside its annual meeting, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive Henry McKinnell said the "importation of medicines across America's borders poses a clear threat to patient safety."
From the Washington Post:
A Small Win for Proponents of Drug Importation
Religious groups, a Republican governor and elderly activists sporting name tags such as "Old Woman" descended on the annual meeting of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Thursday, opening a new front in the battle over U.S. drug prices and the push to make it legal for Americans to purchase cheaper medicines in Canada and elsewhere.
As expected, the eclectic coalition was unsuccessful in its attempt to limit Pfizer's price increases to the rate of inflation. But its leaders declared a symbolic victory in the broader struggle to legalize importation of prescription drugs, a fight that now stretches from courts to state capitols to Congress.
Pfizer restates opposition to Canadian drugs
Pfizer Inc. refused to budge Thursday from its opposition to Americans seeking cheaper prescription medicines from Canada - despite what Minnesota's governor calls a widening election-year "prairie fire" push to legalize the practice.
As about a dozen seniors protested the company's stance outside its annual meeting, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive Henry McKinnell said the "importation of medicines across America's borders poses a clear threat to patient safety."
From the Washington Post:
A Small Win for Proponents of Drug Importation
Religious groups, a Republican governor and elderly activists sporting name tags such as "Old Woman" descended on the annual meeting of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Thursday, opening a new front in the battle over U.S. drug prices and the push to make it legal for Americans to purchase cheaper medicines in Canada and elsewhere.
As expected, the eclectic coalition was unsuccessful in its attempt to limit Pfizer's price increases to the rate of inflation. But its leaders declared a symbolic victory in the broader struggle to legalize importation of prescription drugs, a fight that now stretches from courts to state capitols to Congress.
From Bloomberg:
New Hampshire Governor Hasn't Shown Drug Imports Safe, FDA Says
New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson, who is encouraging sales of pharmaceuticals from Canada to cut patients' costs, has yet to demonstrate that the imports are safe, a U.S. government health official said.
Benson, a Republican, ordered tests of six imported prescriptions before setting up a Web site this month that guides state residents to Internet pharmacies that sell pills from Canada, where prices are controlled. The tests showed the drugs contained the appropriate active ingredients, Benson said.
From the Boston Globe:
US Senate drug bill would set worldwide marketplace
A drug importation bill filed yesterday in the US Senate would set up a vast international marketplace for prescription medicine as part of an effort to loosen the drug industry's grip on supplies available to American consumers.
Under an importation oversight system that would be established by the Senate bill, American consumers could legally get drugs from not just from Canada but some 22 other countries, including members of the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
From the Puget Sound (Wash.) Business Journal:
Seattle Council committee approves study of Canadian drug plan
A Seattle City Council committee has approved a resolution that -- if adopted by the full council -- would allow a study of the idea of letting city employees buy prescription drugs in Canada.
The controversial idea has been percolating for several weeks as the city grapples with major funding cuts. Drugs bought in Canada often cost 30 percent to 50 percent less than in the United States.
From the Quincy (Ill.) Herald Whig:
Pharmacists say plan to import drugs from Europe problematic
Quincy area pharmacists say Gov. Rod Blagojevich's call for importing medicine from Europe is political posturing meant to distract people from some of the state's failed efforts to help the poor or elderly buy medicine.
Blagojevich announced at a press conference Tuesday that if a study he commissioned shows it is safe and cheaper to buy drugs from Europe, then the state might be morally obligated to import prescription drugs, even though that violates federal law.
Blagojevich has called on federal officials to lift restrictions that keep people from ordering drugs from Canada.
From Medical News Today (UK):
Drug prices in Canada start to rise as a result of US demand shortages reported
For the first time in many years drug prices in Canada have started to rise, many say this is due to demand from the USA. Some Canadian pharmacists are saying they are spending much more time now sourcing drugs than they did a few years ago (sourcing drugs = getting their supplies).
From the Chicago Sun Times:
Illinois may help you buy prescription drugs in Europe
Illinois might join Minnesota, Wisconsin and New Hampshire by setting up a Web site to help residents buy prescription drugs from Canada and -- in what would be a first-of-its-kind cost-saving measure -- from Europe.
Gov. Blagojevich raised the possibility Tuesday in announcing he's sending a team of about a half-dozen state officials across the Atlantic for two weeks to study the safety of drugs and pharmacies in several European countries.
From the Bennington (VT) Banner:
Canada drug trade could soon be legal
The wall that keeps Vermonters from buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada may be starting to crumble.
A leading Senate Republican filed legislation this month legalizing the purchase of Canadian pharmaceuticals, and a bipartisan group of senators, led by Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., will add an additional bill today aimed at opening the pharmaceutical markets of industrialized countries to U.S. consumers.
New Hampshire Governor Hasn't Shown Drug Imports Safe, FDA Says
New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson, who is encouraging sales of pharmaceuticals from Canada to cut patients' costs, has yet to demonstrate that the imports are safe, a U.S. government health official said.
Benson, a Republican, ordered tests of six imported prescriptions before setting up a Web site this month that guides state residents to Internet pharmacies that sell pills from Canada, where prices are controlled. The tests showed the drugs contained the appropriate active ingredients, Benson said.
From the Boston Globe:
US Senate drug bill would set worldwide marketplace
A drug importation bill filed yesterday in the US Senate would set up a vast international marketplace for prescription medicine as part of an effort to loosen the drug industry's grip on supplies available to American consumers.
Under an importation oversight system that would be established by the Senate bill, American consumers could legally get drugs from not just from Canada but some 22 other countries, including members of the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
From the Puget Sound (Wash.) Business Journal:
Seattle Council committee approves study of Canadian drug plan
A Seattle City Council committee has approved a resolution that -- if adopted by the full council -- would allow a study of the idea of letting city employees buy prescription drugs in Canada.
The controversial idea has been percolating for several weeks as the city grapples with major funding cuts. Drugs bought in Canada often cost 30 percent to 50 percent less than in the United States.
From the Quincy (Ill.) Herald Whig:
Pharmacists say plan to import drugs from Europe problematic
Quincy area pharmacists say Gov. Rod Blagojevich's call for importing medicine from Europe is political posturing meant to distract people from some of the state's failed efforts to help the poor or elderly buy medicine.
Blagojevich announced at a press conference Tuesday that if a study he commissioned shows it is safe and cheaper to buy drugs from Europe, then the state might be morally obligated to import prescription drugs, even though that violates federal law.
Blagojevich has called on federal officials to lift restrictions that keep people from ordering drugs from Canada.
From Medical News Today (UK):
Drug prices in Canada start to rise as a result of US demand shortages reported
For the first time in many years drug prices in Canada have started to rise, many say this is due to demand from the USA. Some Canadian pharmacists are saying they are spending much more time now sourcing drugs than they did a few years ago (sourcing drugs = getting their supplies).
From the Chicago Sun Times:
Illinois may help you buy prescription drugs in Europe
Illinois might join Minnesota, Wisconsin and New Hampshire by setting up a Web site to help residents buy prescription drugs from Canada and -- in what would be a first-of-its-kind cost-saving measure -- from Europe.
Gov. Blagojevich raised the possibility Tuesday in announcing he's sending a team of about a half-dozen state officials across the Atlantic for two weeks to study the safety of drugs and pharmacies in several European countries.
From the Bennington (VT) Banner:
Canada drug trade could soon be legal
The wall that keeps Vermonters from buying cheaper prescription drugs from Canada may be starting to crumble.
A leading Senate Republican filed legislation this month legalizing the purchase of Canadian pharmaceuticals, and a bipartisan group of senators, led by Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., will add an additional bill today aimed at opening the pharmaceutical markets of industrialized countries to U.S. consumers.
From the Montgomery County (MD) Sentinel:
Lawsuit Challenges Resale of Prescription Drugs in Maryland
Watch out. The prescription medicine that you get from your local pharmacy may have been returned.
Under Maryland law, pharmacies can resale prescription drugs that have been returned as long as the pharmacist can determine that the drug has not deteriorated. The law has recently come into view as a lawsuit in Florida over the illegal resale of prescription drugs has gained coverage. The lawsuit is against Caremark, a giant mail-order pharmacy, which according to a recent article in the US Journal, resold prescription drugs that were returned.
(Editor's note: Not a Canadian pharmacy story, but an interesting read regarding the return and resale of medications, which is allowed in some U.S. states. To my knowledge, this is illegal throughout all of Canada.)
Lawsuit Challenges Resale of Prescription Drugs in Maryland
Watch out. The prescription medicine that you get from your local pharmacy may have been returned.
Under Maryland law, pharmacies can resale prescription drugs that have been returned as long as the pharmacist can determine that the drug has not deteriorated. The law has recently come into view as a lawsuit in Florida over the illegal resale of prescription drugs has gained coverage. The lawsuit is against Caremark, a giant mail-order pharmacy, which according to a recent article in the US Journal, resold prescription drugs that were returned.
(Editor's note: Not a Canadian pharmacy story, but an interesting read regarding the return and resale of medications, which is allowed in some U.S. states. To my knowledge, this is illegal throughout all of Canada.)
From the Olympian (WA):
Bill would clear way for imports of Canadian drugs
Some of the estimated 1.5 million U.S. residents who rely on Canadian mail-order pharmacies for discounts on brand-name drugs are being referred to Great Britain because drug companies are restricting supplies.
But a bipartisan Senate bill unveiled Wednesday would make it an illegal restraint of trade for pharmaceutical companies to limit supplies as a way of undercutting burgeoning sales from Canada to the United States.
From the Contra Costa (CA) Times:
Senators reconsider medication imports
In an effort to drive down the cost of prescription drugs, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a measure Wednesday that would legalize the importation of cheaper medicines from Canada and eventually from European countries.
"This is a huge breakthrough," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.
From Minnesota Public Radio:
Pfizer shareholders reject Pawlenty's prescription plea
Shareholders reacted coolly to a proposed resolution that would've limited Pfizer's drug price increases to the rate of inflation. Ninety-five percent of the shareholders who voted at the meeting opposed the proposal. Nevertheless, Pawlenty says he'll continue to push Pfizer to change its business practices.
If the company won't lower its prices in the U.S., he wants Americans to be able to import their prescriptions from elsewhere. Pawlenty has championed a state Web site that helps Minnesotans fill prescriptions at two Canadian pharmacies, where government price controls keep costs down. In response, Pfizer has limited sales to wholesalers involved in cross-border sales. Pawlenty says the company's resistance to go along with reimportation could hurt Pfizer in the long run.
From In Forum (ND):
Senate support grows for drug imports
A coalition of U.S. senators on Wednesday offered new legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of lower-cost drugs "re-imported" from Canada and other countries.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., is active in a bipartisan effort to regulate the importation of prescription drugs from Canada so U.S. consumers can buy medicine – often at steep discounts – with confidence.
Bill would clear way for imports of Canadian drugs
Some of the estimated 1.5 million U.S. residents who rely on Canadian mail-order pharmacies for discounts on brand-name drugs are being referred to Great Britain because drug companies are restricting supplies.
But a bipartisan Senate bill unveiled Wednesday would make it an illegal restraint of trade for pharmaceutical companies to limit supplies as a way of undercutting burgeoning sales from Canada to the United States.
From the Contra Costa (CA) Times:
Senators reconsider medication imports
In an effort to drive down the cost of prescription drugs, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a measure Wednesday that would legalize the importation of cheaper medicines from Canada and eventually from European countries.
"This is a huge breakthrough," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.
From Minnesota Public Radio:
Pfizer shareholders reject Pawlenty's prescription plea
Shareholders reacted coolly to a proposed resolution that would've limited Pfizer's drug price increases to the rate of inflation. Ninety-five percent of the shareholders who voted at the meeting opposed the proposal. Nevertheless, Pawlenty says he'll continue to push Pfizer to change its business practices.
If the company won't lower its prices in the U.S., he wants Americans to be able to import their prescriptions from elsewhere. Pawlenty has championed a state Web site that helps Minnesotans fill prescriptions at two Canadian pharmacies, where government price controls keep costs down. In response, Pfizer has limited sales to wholesalers involved in cross-border sales. Pawlenty says the company's resistance to go along with reimportation could hurt Pfizer in the long run.
From In Forum (ND):
Senate support grows for drug imports
A coalition of U.S. senators on Wednesday offered new legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of lower-cost drugs "re-imported" from Canada and other countries.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., is active in a bipartisan effort to regulate the importation of prescription drugs from Canada so U.S. consumers can buy medicine – often at steep discounts – with confidence.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Pawlenty makes pitch to Pfizer
When Gov. Tim Pawlenty walked into the Ritz-Carlton hotel Thursday to take part in the Pfizer annual shareholder meeting, there was no mention of "price-gouging," none of the tough talk he often has employed to voice his displeasure with the drug prices paid by American consumers.
Instead, when his turn came to speak, Pawlenty dumped his prepared remarks, opting instead to gently chide Pfizer -- one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies -- for shutting off drug supplies to Canadian pharmacies that supply Minnesota customers and implore it for a chance to "work together" on ways to pressure the federal government to use trade negotiations to lower U.S. prices.
From the Montgomery County (MD) Sentinel:
Council Edges Closer to Canada Drug Imports
The County Council moved one step closer to implementing a prescription drug importation program this week.
A county interagency committee charged last year with studying the issue said on Monday that the council should develop a voluntary drug importation program. The committee estimated that the county could save up to $15 million by purchasing prescription drugs from Canada for its 40,000 current and retired employees.
From the Aberdeen (SD) Daily News:
State's drug benefit plan hasn't crossed border
When South Dakota was seeking bids earlier this year for a new pharmacy benefit manager to run its state employee drug plan, Larry Kucker got a call from a Canadian pharmacy.
Kucker, the state's director of employee benefits, said the offer to save millions of dollars was tempting, but importing drugs from Canada was illegal and South Dakota was not ready to push the envelope.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
Are drug imports good medicine?
Idun's Steven Mento recently testified against easing restrictions on cheaper imported medicines.
That hollow rattle, the tap of a few pills inside a near-empty plastic prescription drug bottle, has become a hauntingly familiar sound for the California biotechnology industry.
Hundreds of senior citizens, labor representatives and consumer activists – each with a pill bottle strung around their neck on a ribbon – are rattling their way through state legislative hearings and lawmakers' offices to push a package of bills that aim to rein in soaring prescription drug costs.
Pawlenty makes pitch to Pfizer
When Gov. Tim Pawlenty walked into the Ritz-Carlton hotel Thursday to take part in the Pfizer annual shareholder meeting, there was no mention of "price-gouging," none of the tough talk he often has employed to voice his displeasure with the drug prices paid by American consumers.
Instead, when his turn came to speak, Pawlenty dumped his prepared remarks, opting instead to gently chide Pfizer -- one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies -- for shutting off drug supplies to Canadian pharmacies that supply Minnesota customers and implore it for a chance to "work together" on ways to pressure the federal government to use trade negotiations to lower U.S. prices.
From the Montgomery County (MD) Sentinel:
Council Edges Closer to Canada Drug Imports
The County Council moved one step closer to implementing a prescription drug importation program this week.
A county interagency committee charged last year with studying the issue said on Monday that the council should develop a voluntary drug importation program. The committee estimated that the county could save up to $15 million by purchasing prescription drugs from Canada for its 40,000 current and retired employees.
From the Aberdeen (SD) Daily News:
State's drug benefit plan hasn't crossed border
When South Dakota was seeking bids earlier this year for a new pharmacy benefit manager to run its state employee drug plan, Larry Kucker got a call from a Canadian pharmacy.
Kucker, the state's director of employee benefits, said the offer to save millions of dollars was tempting, but importing drugs from Canada was illegal and South Dakota was not ready to push the envelope.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
Are drug imports good medicine?
Idun's Steven Mento recently testified against easing restrictions on cheaper imported medicines.
That hollow rattle, the tap of a few pills inside a near-empty plastic prescription drug bottle, has become a hauntingly familiar sound for the California biotechnology industry.
Hundreds of senior citizens, labor representatives and consumer activists – each with a pill bottle strung around their neck on a ribbon – are rattling their way through state legislative hearings and lawmakers' offices to push a package of bills that aim to rein in soaring prescription drug costs.
From Pennlive.com:
More in Congress back Canada drug imports
Support for legalizing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada is growing in Congress amid an election-year clamor from states, lawmakers and the elderly.
The White House and Republican congressional leaders remain opposed, saying there is no way to ensure safety. Nonetheless, proponents contend that public frustration with rising drug prices and growing defiance of a federal ban on prescription imports will force action before the November elections.
From Investors Business Daily:
FDA: Probe of Seniors' Bus 'Unfortunate'
A senior Food and Drug Administration official said Wednesday that it was unfortunate his agency stopped and inspected a busload of seniors returning from a medicine-buying trip to Canada.
"This is not consistent with our current practice," said John Taylor, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "I would not expect it to happen again."
More in Congress back Canada drug imports
Support for legalizing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada is growing in Congress amid an election-year clamor from states, lawmakers and the elderly.
The White House and Republican congressional leaders remain opposed, saying there is no way to ensure safety. Nonetheless, proponents contend that public frustration with rising drug prices and growing defiance of a federal ban on prescription imports will force action before the November elections.
From Investors Business Daily:
FDA: Probe of Seniors' Bus 'Unfortunate'
A senior Food and Drug Administration official said Wednesday that it was unfortunate his agency stopped and inspected a busload of seniors returning from a medicine-buying trip to Canada.
"This is not consistent with our current practice," said John Taylor, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "I would not expect it to happen again."
Thursday, April 22, 2004
From the Boston Globe:
Senators seek to legalize drug imports from Canada
A group of Democrats and moderate Republicans in the US Senate plans to introduce a bill today that would permit the immediate importation of prescription drugs from Canada and later from Europe, reflecting a growing movement in Congress to make the practice legal.
Among the five sponsors is Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a Democrat whose opposition helped to gut similar legislation last year after it had won approval in the House.
Kennedy changed his position after he failed to reach a compromise on Medicare legislation last year and wound up as one of the biggest critics of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. He has said he opposed the previous bill because he did not believe the House measure contained enough safety provisions. If it can be done safely, he has said, then he is in favor.
From Reuters:
Bipartisan Senate Team Unveils Drug Import Bill
Leading U.S. senators on Wednesday unveiled a bipartisan bill that would let Americans import cheaper U.S.-approved prescription drugs from abroad.
Individuals would be able to buy 90-day supplies of medicines for personal use from qualified Canadian pharmacies. Larger commercial shipments to wholesalers or pharmacies would be limited to Canada for the first year and then expand to approved industrialized nations, including European Union members, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Dayton protests inspection of 'Rx Express' bus by FDA
Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., wrote to Food and Drug Administration officials Wednesday to protest an FDA inspection of an "Rx Express" bus of seniors returning from a trip to Canada last fall to buy prescription drugs.
"Until the FDA action, those trips were unimpeded by Customs or other federal officials," Dayton wrote in a letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford. "The FDA officials' inspection was extremely stressful to some of the elderly riders and has caused alarm among prospective riders."
Senators seek to legalize drug imports from Canada
A group of Democrats and moderate Republicans in the US Senate plans to introduce a bill today that would permit the immediate importation of prescription drugs from Canada and later from Europe, reflecting a growing movement in Congress to make the practice legal.
Among the five sponsors is Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a Democrat whose opposition helped to gut similar legislation last year after it had won approval in the House.
Kennedy changed his position after he failed to reach a compromise on Medicare legislation last year and wound up as one of the biggest critics of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. He has said he opposed the previous bill because he did not believe the House measure contained enough safety provisions. If it can be done safely, he has said, then he is in favor.
From Reuters:
Bipartisan Senate Team Unveils Drug Import Bill
Leading U.S. senators on Wednesday unveiled a bipartisan bill that would let Americans import cheaper U.S.-approved prescription drugs from abroad.
Individuals would be able to buy 90-day supplies of medicines for personal use from qualified Canadian pharmacies. Larger commercial shipments to wholesalers or pharmacies would be limited to Canada for the first year and then expand to approved industrialized nations, including European Union members, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Dayton protests inspection of 'Rx Express' bus by FDA
Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., wrote to Food and Drug Administration officials Wednesday to protest an FDA inspection of an "Rx Express" bus of seniors returning from a trip to Canada last fall to buy prescription drugs.
"Until the FDA action, those trips were unimpeded by Customs or other federal officials," Dayton wrote in a letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford. "The FDA officials' inspection was extremely stressful to some of the elderly riders and has caused alarm among prospective riders."
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
From Kentucky.com:
Senators announce agreement on imported drugs
A drive to make prescription drug imports legal and force lower prices with global competition picked up momentum Wednesday.
New legislation would make Canadian drug imports legal and then expand to 20 other countries. It is the latest proposal reflecting voter anger about high drug prices - but this one is significant because it drew bipartisan support.
From KELOLAND (SD):
Cheapers Drugs from Northern Neighbors
At the same time, people here in KELOLAND aren't waiting around for congress to give them price relief at the pharmacy. Nine days after opening its doors for the first time, business is booming at Canada drug. In fact, from the time they hang the "open" sign at ten in the morning until the "close" sign takes it's place at five each night, workers say they can hardly keep up with the demand of people wanting to tap into the cheaper prescription pipeline from the North.
Senators announce agreement on imported drugs
A drive to make prescription drug imports legal and force lower prices with global competition picked up momentum Wednesday.
New legislation would make Canadian drug imports legal and then expand to 20 other countries. It is the latest proposal reflecting voter anger about high drug prices - but this one is significant because it drew bipartisan support.
From KELOLAND (SD):
Cheapers Drugs from Northern Neighbors
At the same time, people here in KELOLAND aren't waiting around for congress to give them price relief at the pharmacy. Nine days after opening its doors for the first time, business is booming at Canada drug. In fact, from the time they hang the "open" sign at ten in the morning until the "close" sign takes it's place at five each night, workers say they can hardly keep up with the demand of people wanting to tap into the cheaper prescription pipeline from the North.
From the Toronto Star:
Use of statins could save thousands: Study
The lives of thousands of Canadians with heart disease could be saved with a class of potent cholesterol-lowering drugs but a study suggests many doctors aren't prescribing the medications to those patients who need them the most.
The three-year study of almost 400,000 Ontarians with heart disease over age 65 found that those with the highest risk of heart attack and death were the least likely to be given the drugs, known as statins, said the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"It's a serious problem because we have these life-saving therapies," Dr. Dennis Ko, lead author of the study, said today. "But at this time, from what we observe in Ontario, they are not giving it to the right people.
From Bloomberg:
Dorgan, Kennedy Plan to Introduce Drug-Import Bill
Senators Edward Kennedy, Byron Dorgan and Olympia Snowe, will introduce a bipartisan bill tomorrow that would allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada, where government controls keep prices lower.
Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat; Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, and Snowe, a Maine Republican, will discuss details of their proposal at a press conference tomorrow morning, said Dorgan's spokesman, Barry Piatt. The measure faces competition from at least two other Republican-sponsored bills.
Use of statins could save thousands: Study
The lives of thousands of Canadians with heart disease could be saved with a class of potent cholesterol-lowering drugs but a study suggests many doctors aren't prescribing the medications to those patients who need them the most.
The three-year study of almost 400,000 Ontarians with heart disease over age 65 found that those with the highest risk of heart attack and death were the least likely to be given the drugs, known as statins, said the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"It's a serious problem because we have these life-saving therapies," Dr. Dennis Ko, lead author of the study, said today. "But at this time, from what we observe in Ontario, they are not giving it to the right people.
From Bloomberg:
Dorgan, Kennedy Plan to Introduce Drug-Import Bill
Senators Edward Kennedy, Byron Dorgan and Olympia Snowe, will introduce a bipartisan bill tomorrow that would allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada, where government controls keep prices lower.
Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat; Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, and Snowe, a Maine Republican, will discuss details of their proposal at a press conference tomorrow morning, said Dorgan's spokesman, Barry Piatt. The measure faces competition from at least two other Republican-sponsored bills.
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