In a nutshell, drugs are cheaper in Canada than in the United States. According to the Canadian Pharmacy Group, the reasons for this are:
- Due to the Socialized Health Care System in Canada, the Canadian Government purchases bulk prescription drugs from the pharmaceutical industry in the United States and around the world.
- The Canadian Government sets price ceilings on prescription drug prices.
- The Canadian dollar historically trades at 30-35% less than the U.S. dollar.
The controversy happens when Americans buy their drugs from Canadian companies. Some take organized bus trips to
Canada and come home with their drugs. Some buy their drugs on the internet. Others go through a third party who
gets the drugs for them.
Of course American drug companies don't like Americans getting their drugs from outside the country.
For example, GlaxoSmithKline notified Canadian on-line/mail-order pharmacies in a January 3, 2003 letter, that it will
discontinue supplying its products unless cross-border sales stop. Among its allegations were that drugs could be
harmed in shipping. However, we all know that American drug companies do not hand carry their product to pharmacies
all around the country; they ship it. So their claim that drugs can be damaged in shipment just does not make sense.
In any case, it's an issue, and here are some links to help you find out more:
Here are some links to web sites where you can buy Canadian drugs:
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