As more and more cities and states set up websites and pass measures to allow for importing price controlled Canadian drugs into the US to control the rising cost of healthcare, Canada is starting to take notice on the impact of such practices on it's government run healthcare system. Canada doesn't like what it sees, and for good reason. Canada has a population of around 30 million and is not set up to handle the volume of medications needed to supply a country like the US with it's aging population of over 250 million.
The Canadian Health Minister is considering a number of measures that would severely limit the ability of Canadian doctors to co-sign an American prescription in order to fill a prescription in Canada. One measure would require that the Canadian doctor actually, physically examine the patient before signing a prescription. Canada wants to protect it's cheap medications and realize that if things continue the way they are going, pharmaceutical companies are going to demand price increases, thereby driving up the costs for their own citizens.
What most Americans fail to realize is that the reason medications are cheaper in Canada is because the Canadian government made deals with the pharmaceutical industry to either accept price controls or else they would create their own generic industry and not recognize American patents. So the pharmaceutical industry figures some revenue is better than none and agreed since there were still free markets where they could price their drugs to recoup the R&D costs to develop new medicines. Also, Canadian citizens pay more for their drugs by way of much higher taxes. The current income taxes for Canada are;
Federal tax rates for 2005 are:
16% on the first $35,595 of taxable income;
22% on the next $35,595 of taxable income;
26% on the next $44,549 of taxable income; and
29% of taxable income over $115,739.
And Provincial / Territorial tax rates (an example) in New Brunswick
9.68% on the first $32,730 of taxable income, +
14.82% on the next $32,732, +
16.52% on the next $40,965, +
17.84% on the amount over $106,427
Not to mention the higher sales tax paid by Canadians. So if Americans think that government run and/or subsidized healthcare would be cheaper for them, they should look at the real cost to run the Canadian healthcare system.
Daniel Spankie is the creator/editor of http://www.chemtracker.net, a Pharmaceutical news forum for professionals.
one time home cleaning Highland Park ..As a result of the conflict analysis exercise and a... Read More
You have in front of you two buttons, one is... Read More
The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More
In a move that rocked the online world and left... Read More
We have known of the innate characteristic need of members... Read More
The other day I was sucker punched, hoodwinked, bamboozled, had... Read More
IntroductionThe way one lyrist has written, "Hum logo ko samajh... Read More
United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), one of the most... Read More
Aren't you glad you purchased Alaska? You got a bargain,... Read More
Journalism, as it is often said, is the 'fourth branch... Read More
Ohio's transportation sector seems to be strong, even with Ohio's... Read More
We should all give much kudos to the Federal Trade... Read More
Federal Regulations on Business Destroy America, these regulations are a... Read More
The resignation from cabinet yesterday, Sunday, by the Israeli minister... Read More
Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More
Americans pride themselves on being the best, that's a fact.... Read More
De-classification of official documents have been a routine practice in... Read More
America is filled with standouts and perserverance; our nation has... Read More
For years we've suffered under recession, prompting us to ask,... Read More
Non-lethal Goo Concepts have been tossed around by many war... Read More
As more and more cities and states set up websites... Read More
If slavery has not worked well, then cloning if it... Read More
Recently the FTC, Federal Trade Commission put forth a report... Read More
Incompetence is all too obvious at the trade shows of... Read More
The news media will regularly present views from Democratic (liberal),... Read More
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..Most citizens agree that we need the Federal Trade Commission... Read More
Is it just me or are you concerned that illegal... Read More
Our government is set up like a modern day franchise.... Read More
The filibuster has been a tool available to U.S. Senators... Read More
Is the Federal Trade Commission really stopping SPAM? Is the... Read More
Fearful that terrorists will next target Australia, Prime Minister John... Read More
Alexander Hamilton ? Policy Separated from Politics:I am related to... Read More
The Carl Rove issue is definitely interesting and distracting. The... Read More
What is the so-called "nuclear option" that Senator Bill Frist... Read More
Most government agencies cannot pass an audit of their expenses.... Read More
If a farmer plants the same crop three seasons in... Read More
Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More
What has really changed in the housing market with regards... Read More
It looks overall like the liberals are advocating for no... Read More
As the populations expand in Colorado outside of Denver, Las... Read More
Last year a Maryland State Legislator whom I presume never... Read More
There's a new Michigan state register (at https://www.protectmichild.com/) in the... Read More
So you are ready to run for public office are... Read More
Much of our personal and cultural perspective on the world... Read More
Let's make one thing clear: This Dan Nelson Automotive fiasco... Read More
Washington DC council member David Catania actually suggested that the... Read More
All countries have specific things that are abundant in the... Read More
For more than a decade, you the American taxpayer have... Read More
Our Hydro-electricity accounts for some 20% of our current needs.... Read More
Earlier this month, I heard President George W. Bush and... Read More
Political |