Canadian clinics cutting off drugs for Americans /Seattle Times

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001931782_canadadrugs18m.html


Tuesday, May 18, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

Canadian clinics cutting off drugs for Americans

By Carol M. Ostrom
Seattle Times staff reporter

Canadian medical clinics are quietly informing American patients they will no longer help them obtain prescription drugs, after stern warnings from a major insurer that doctors who are sued by Americans won't be covered.
The move threatens to restrict access to cheaper drugs purchased by hundreds of thousands of Americans who visit Canadian clinics or buy online from Canadian pharmacies.

The medical licensing board in British Columbia, where many Washingtonians get prescription drugs, has long held that doctors who write prescriptions for patients without having a legitimate "doctor-patient" relationship are operating unethically and could be sanctioned.

But more recently, the organization that insures the vast majority of Canadian doctors has gone a step further, warning that if doctors continue the "risky activity" of rewriting prescriptions for American patients, they'll be on their own in the event of a lawsuit.

"The American system has a reputation for being litigious — people are ready to sue for everything," said Dr. Morris VanAndel, head of the B.C. licensing board, called the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

(more)

That could be employed, allowing a certain amount of profit for drugs, allowing states to buy in bulk for medicare, cutting patents to shorter times so there will be more competition, we see what Republicans do. They give huge money away, almost directly to companies, and do nothing to lessen the price, or make drugs more affordable for Americans.

The drug industry is the most profitable legal, and illegal industry in America. I think they can afford a few less dollars, so American can afford to get the medications they need, without involving Canada. But that's just Republicans, their only solution is some way to give welfare to a corporation.

Seniors know its the Rethugs supporting their DrugCo buddies who are doing this to them.

Dumb move.

The Republicans are responsible
(my new mantra)

in once sense, sad as it is for seniors in the US, this may center their anger where it belongs, with the republicans that are owned by the Pharmacutical companies.

..."Sale"...
Yep, they actually said that their "online Canadian pharmacy" was having to close up and they were having a "going out of business sale"...

How much of the Canadian Insurance Industry is American owned and operated.

They don't say anyone has ever brought a lawsuit, only that there's the potential for one in the phantom future. I guess trying to buy off Congress and getting the FDA to shut down the Canadian source didn't work. If all else fails, pull out the bogeyman. Hey, it worked for * -- he used the "threat" of Saddam's illusionary WMDs to get us into a budget-busting war without end.

I buy one of my drugs from Canada. If I have to pay for it here it'll be $4,800/year vs. $1,200/year. If the Medicare HMO I'm part of decides to quit covering Medicare patients, my annual drug costs go up to nearly $8,000, and I'm going to have to move to Canada or Mexico just to live.

It's all a part of *'s "compassionate conservatism".