For example:
The GOPers reason the drugs from Canada should not be imported into the US to save money for seniors! "Those drugs from a foreign country could be DANGEROUS to your health!"
If so, why then is it just fine to:
U.S. buying 100 million doses of anthrax antibiotic(made in Germany)
(CNN) -- As the number of confirmed and suspected anthrax cases grew, the government said Wednesday it had made a deal to buy more of an antibiotic that kills the insidious bacteria.
The Bush administration said it agreed with German pharmaceutical Bayer to purchase the anthrax antibiotic Cipro for 95 cents a pill -- down from the previously discounted price of $1.77 per tablet. More...
http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/conditions/10/24/anthrax/And why was it just fine to:
FDA approves potentially contaminated Medeva flu vaccine for use in U.S.
http://www.whale.to/a/medeva1.htmlAnd why:
HHS Purchases Additional 375,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine, Negotiates Best Price for FluMist Purchases
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the purchase of 375,000 additional doses of flu vaccine. The vaccine should arrive in January. Secretary Thompson also announced that HHS had negotiated a contract for 3 million doses of FluMist that state and local health departments can purchase if needed. The FluMist is available immediately.
"This additional vaccine is being made available as part of our ongoing effort to meet the demand for vaccine due in large part to an early arrival of flu season. With this purchase, HHS has acquired remaining stock from both of the manufacturers who produced injectable vaccine for the United States this year," Secretary Thompson said. "These doses are part of the stock that was developed for the U.S., licensed and approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration."
The 375,000 doses of flu vaccine were purchased from UK based drug manufacturer Chiron. The Chiron vaccine is an extra supply of a vaccine already licensed by the FDA and in use in the United States. While currently in bulk form, the HHS purchase will allow it to be packaged and available for use in January. The vaccine will be made available for state and local purchase according to an allocation system designed to ensure equitable distribution of vaccine. More...
http://www.omhrc.gov/OMHRC/pressreleases/2003press1213.htmAND NOW:
Britain suspends flu vaccine manufacturing at Chiron Corp
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Britain halted influenza vaccine manufacturing at US-based Chiron Corporation, wiping out a huge swathe of the world's expected supply for this flu season.
US health authorities, who had been counting on Chiron for half of the country's flu vaccine this winter, scrambled to patch up a plan to protect those most at risk.
British regulators suspended Chiron production for three months after uncovering unspecified sterility defects in the Liverpool plant, which makes all of the Fluvirin(R) vaccine.
"We profoundly, and I cannot overemphasize how profoundly, we profoundly regret that we will be unable to meet public health needs this season," Howard Pien, chief executive of the California-based company, told a news conference. More...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041006/wl_uk_afp/britain_health_vaccine_041006090858John Edwards was exactly right last night, about the GOP representing the big drug companies interests, when it comes to importing drugs! The GOP clearly thinks the Drug companies deserve all the breaks, instead of the working poor and the elderly in America! What is really amazing, is the fact that most of the drugs imported from Canada, were made and then exported to Canada by American drug companies!