[Winona Online Democracy]
I agree that the drug companies should sell to US
pharmacies at the same price they do in Canada or even Mexico. The Minnesota
Pharmacist Association has met several times with Governor Pawlenty about this
very issue. One of the debates has to do with the value of the pharmacist
and local pharmacies to the patient. After several meetings, the Guv
decided there is some value to having the education and counseling of a
pharmacist.
Now he is going to
literally force State employees to use Canadian pharmacies. The state is
going to pick up the $15 Co-pay for the state employees. Way to go Guv.
Talk about out-sourcing, this will cost the state several local pharmacies and
pharmacists. While the chain stores can survive this, the small local
pharmacies in rural Minnesota will suffer the most and many may not
survive.
The solution is not price
control, but negotiation with the drug companies as a group or state.
Governor Pawlenty should look at the state negotiating with the drug companies
to obtain the same prices as Canada and allow Minnesota pharmacies to join a
state buying group. That is the way Canadian pharmacies operate. The
government buys the drugs and the pharmacies in Canada don't pay for them until
they are sold, What a great deal for them. They don't have to own
any inventory. Also, we forget that some of the price savings have to do
with the exchange rate. Last I checked that was about 75 cents on the
dollar or about a 25% saving there alone.
The FDA is looking at the
new Pawlenty plan and at this time is not commenting. It does seem a bit
crazy that the same drugs made in the same US plants (and elsewhere) are priced
differently. I think we should ask the state to contract with the drug
companies and keep pharmacies and pharmacy jobs in Minnesota. Dick
Gaffron
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 5:50
AM
Subject: RE: [Winona] Anti Dumping
Laws
[Winona Online Democracy]
How
much of this pricing in other countries is determined by price controls?
Assuming that at least some is, could the US take such issues up through
the GATT and NAFTA agreements?
If
price controls exist in other countries, they are in essence forcing US
consumers to subsidize the consumers in those countries.
Since the pharmaceutical
industry is selling American made drugs in other counties below domestic
wholesale prices would that not be a violation of anti dumping laws???
If the tobacco lawyers and Attorney General could channel there interest in
this approach maybe Minnesota could
get dumped on and local pharmacist be provided with wholesale prices that
compete with the global competition.
What are the ground rules for
Anti-Dumping trade practices and penalties?
Paul Double
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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