Greg G. wrote:
HeyBub said:

Greg G. wrote:

Canadians can purchase a script for Liptor for $33 and yet those in
the US pay anywhere from $125 to $334.

Yep. But Canadians can pay much more for generic drugs. It averages
out. For example, one generic I take costs $8.00. It's available at
a Canadian pharmacy for $286.00.

I think I'd find a new pharmacy. There is absolutely no reasonable
excuse for that short of gouging to make up for losses elsewhere or
perhaps the patent hasn't expired in CA yet. Sounds like a fluke as
most of the popular patented drugs I researched were considerably
cheaper. Maybe they priced out the creator's pills instead of generic.
Since you did not identify the drug, it's all conjecture as to why.

Generic Vicodon. Hydrocodone + acetaminophen

As I said, name brand drugs are almost always cheaper in Canada but generic
drugs are often more expensive. In your example of Lipitor for about $33 in
Canada vs ~$200 in the U.S., the other startling example is that the U.S. is
currently subsidizing the Canadian sick.

It's a balance of terror - here's how it works.

1. The Canadian health system (CHS) approaches Pfizer and says we'll give
you 6¢ per pill for Lipitor
2. Pfizer says they will be glad to sell Lipitor to CHS at $1.00 per tablet.
3. CHS say balderdash! Our people need the drug. We can make it ourselves
for 5¢ per tablet
4. Pfizer says CHS cannot do that as the drug is protected by international
patents
5. CHS says we will abrogate the treaty in the name of saving lives
6. Pfizer says we'll use our clout to engage in a trade war with Canada
7. CHS says we don't have anything to do with oil, so we don't care. Saving
lives is the moral high ground. Do your worst.
8. Pfizer and CHS agree on a price of 8¢


Maybe. But greed is good. The results of greed are better.

Bettering yourself and your station is life is good, abject greed not
so much if it harms those who can ill afford it - that is predatory.

Agreed. It's the CONSEQUENCES of greed that can sometimes cause the problem,
not the greed itself.