US To Stop Seizing Canadian Drugs

One of the measures of the Bush Administration to provide financial rewards (corporate welfare) to one of his major contributors, the pharmaceutical industry, is ending. Late in 2005, before the Medicare Part D program came into effect, the government began seizing drugs purchased from Canadian pharmacies and shipped into the United States. At the time there was speculation that cutting off the supply of cheaper medications from Canada was one means of forcing seniors into joining the Medicare program to obtain their prescription drugs. Following intervention from Congress, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency will discontinue their policy of seizing Canadian pharmaceuticals.

The change in policy at this time will be particularly helpful for the many seniors who are now faced with the donut hole in the Medicare program which forces them to pay the full cost of their prescriptions. While most goods and services in health care are provided at a discount (which is often taken into consideration in setting prices), the Medicare Part D program specifically prevents negotiation for discounted prices. Last September the Annals of Internal Medicine compared Canadian and American drug prices and found that “Americans can save a mean of approximately 24% per unit of drug if they purchase their medications from Canadian Internet pharmacies instead of from major online U.S. drug chain pharmacies.

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