PLATFORM/O Canada
The January issue of American City & County featured an article describing the efforts of various local governments to save money by purchasing prescription drugs from Canada. Readers of the magazine’s e-mail newsletter recently were asked the following question: “Is it appropriate for local governments to purchase prescription drugs from Canada?” Most of the respondents said it is appropriate. Below are some responses:
“U.S. cities are really getting hit in the revenue area, and any opportunity to save money on the other end is a good idea. To listen to the FDA, you would think that Canada is some third-world country where the issue of drug quality is suspect. I haven’t heard of any cases of mass numbers of Canadians getting sick from bad prescription drugs, have you? In most cases, the drugs are the same as we get here in the states because they come from the same manufacturer. The FDA is waving the health issue in front of the public because that’s what the Bush Administration wants [it] to do in support of big pharmaceutical companies that provide dollars to the party. It’s just as simple as that.”
— Wally Mook, director of public works, Bettendorf, Iowa
“Some of the biggest challenges facing governmental financing and the welfare of our people are aging and the effects of debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, AIDS and cancer. This will only be solved through research and development of new drugs. If drug companies are not allowed a fair rate of return, giving consideration to research that fails in addition to research that succeeds, many of the worlds ills will not be cured. Canada’s and other European countries’ pricing does not give due consideration for the risk involved in drug development. To open the doors to Canadian drug pricing will chill new drug development. Investment money will dry up. I would rather cure Alzheimer’s and cancer and AIDS, even if we have to pay more to get there.”
— Bill Russell, mayor pro tem, Victoria, Texas
