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Comparing the US to 9 other leading developed countries, one finds that we have the lowest life expectancy by 1-4 years and that we spend the most per person on health care. What does this expenditure buy us? Rich Drug Companies, and nothing else.
Here's a question: if a company is willing to sell Lipitor in Canada for 40% of what it sells Lipitor for here, it would certainly be willing to sell it here for that price wouldn't it? I mean, I'm not an economics wonk, but something tells me that the price in Canada still nets them a profit. We don't need a prescription drug bill throwing more money at the raging fires of drug company greed; rather, we need price caps on drugs. Simple as that.
Oh, and get this trick being used recently: moving the drug manufacturing plants to another country. Here is an example of exactly how much the big drug companies and the USFDA have regular anal intercourse with each other, at our expense:
A few drug companies have moved manufacturing to Ireland, a country which enacted several tax benefits for the exact purpose of luring the drug companies in. Now, because they are US companies, the companies convinced the USFDA to treat the imported drugs as "American." Moreover, ONLY the drug companies are allowed to buy the drugs from their Irish subsidiary companies -- you and I, my fellow Americans cannot. Of course, people from other countries may also buy from the Irish facility, while you and I cannot.
So, what does the U.S. get in the end? Well, we get to lose some good jobs, we get to give the big drug companies a higher profit margin, and we get to take the big old ramrod up the... nether region. Unless you own stock in Merck, you're getting screwed by the drug companies.
Now, let's discuss the HMO nightmare.....
[ 02-23-2004, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]
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