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PFIZER CUTTING OFF CANADA? - Upset Over Selling Drugs To Americans |
| (08/11/2003) |
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"The United States is the only industrialized country which does not regulate the prices of its prescription drugs," said Pat White, administrator of West Virginia Healthright. Prescription drug prices are the main force behind rising insurance premiums. Americans are paying some of the highest drug prices in the world. The U.S. Senate and House passed legislation that allows Americans to buy foreign prescription drugs. Congress is deadlocked over two versions of the bill, while the AARP suggested that Congress limit those countries to Canada only. Suddenly, Pfizer, the world's largest drug company said that it would cut off supplies of Pfizer products including Celebrex, Viagra and Lipitor to 50 Canadian Internet pharmacies if those pharmacies don't stop reselling them to Americans at Canadian prices. Pfizer is trying to "protect the safety of patients," a company press release said. Pfizer is "protecting the profits obtained by higher prices in the United States," AARP spokesman John Rother said. Canadian wholesalers say Pfizer's action endangers people on both sides of the border. Canadian patent law allows the government to authorize generic drug makers to manufacture generics if a shortage of a patented product develops. That is likely to happen with Pfizer pulling out. "All this talk about safety of the patient," said White who runs the West Virginia clinic that sees thousands of uninsured people a month. "What's really not safe, when you get down to it, is a situation where people can't afford medication they need to live without extreme pain. Or to live at all." She said someone, somewhere is going to have to get real. |
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