Boston to Begin Canadian Drug Purchase Plan This Summer

[papau]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA5LPEXZND.html

Report: Boston to Begin Canadian Drug Purchase Plan This Summer
The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) - Starting this summer, Boston will begin buying prescription drugs from Canada for thousands of city employees and retirees, a newspaper reported.

Boston would become only the second U.S. city - after Springfield, about 90 miles west - to turn to Canada for drugs. <snip>


The program, which is slated to begin in July, will cut about $1 million each year from the city's $61 million prescription drug bill, according to city estimates.


<snip>Wanda Moebius, a spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said Menino would do a greater service to employees by telling them about programs to aid patients who can't afford drugs.

"There are more responsible ways to help those people than to flout the law and flout safety and encourage people to get their prescription drugs from what purports to be Canada," she said.

AP-ES-12-09-03 0723EST

[EFF BrandyWine]

1. Hmmm....

sounds like Wanda is getting a little nervous...zing!

[0007]

2. Would the U.S. Pharmaceutical companies retaliate?

Maybe like limiting the amount of drugs sent to Canada medical outlets.

[papau]

3. Gov of Canada stepped in - or " what purports to be Canada"

"what purports to be Canada"

I do like that line!!!!!

:-)

[havocmom]

4. Limiting supplies to Canada seems like a trick they would pull

US companies are all for 'free market' so long as they set the stock levels, the price and availability. They believe in no rules they have to abide but in setting rules for everyone else. Ah, freedom....

[truthspeaker]

5. NAFTA at work!

no text

[pinto]

6. Wanda says action flouts safety! (sure, Canadians are dropping like flies)

[BuddhaGirl]

7. Why shouldn't they!!

The V.A. is doing it too. Last night's CBS evening news featured a segment on the V.A. buying drugs in Canada for veterans. The point of the story was why shouldn't ordinary Amercians be able to buy drugs from Canada just like their own government!!! :mad: :mad:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. Nothing like someone called Moebius to make one-sided statements. (nt)

[truthspeaker]

9. if this were really about safety

Then the FDA could establish an information-sharing agreement with whatever body in the Canadian government regulates drugs. The FDA is just shilling for the drug companies, as usual.

[pinto]

10. a lot of those "Canadian" meds are the same as "US" meds...

made by multinational companies. Canada has different agreements for purchasing, ie they buy in bulk. Firms don't want meds "resold" in US for less than the same thing here. BTW, new Medicare law prohibits government programs (ie Medicare) from making bulk purchase contracts with pharmaceutical companies. Shill for the drug companies is so right.