Cost medicin in US vs. Canada
- Thread starter danmand
- Start date
It's been my experience that the reverse is true.
In the U.S., there is often political controversy over getting Canadian drugs approved by the FDA. Americans often cross the border to see Canadian doctors for cheaper prescription medications. Americans want it, but the FDA is bought by the pharmaceuticals who don't want Canadian competition. There are no price controls for American pharmaceuticals; there are in Canada.
The FDA claims that Canadian drugs do not follow the same strict standards for safety that American companies do. That some ingredients from Canadian drugs come from 3rd world countries.
In my experience, my prescription can be filled by two drugs: a brand name or a generic brand. The brand name costs close to $1K in the US; my insurance would make me pay $250 per refill. I can get the same brand name from Canada for $500, and using the same ratio, I would only have to pay $125.
Of course, there's no way in hell my health insurance will cover Canadian drugs, so I have to take the generic which costs me $60/refill. Fortunately, there's no side effects to taking the generic.
In the U.S., there is often political controversy over getting Canadian drugs approved by the FDA. Americans often cross the border to see Canadian doctors for cheaper prescription medications. Americans want it, but the FDA is bought by the pharmaceuticals who don't want Canadian competition. There are no price controls for American pharmaceuticals; there are in Canada.
The FDA claims that Canadian drugs do not follow the same strict standards for safety that American companies do. That some ingredients from Canadian drugs come from 3rd world countries.
In my experience, my prescription can be filled by two drugs: a brand name or a generic brand. The brand name costs close to $1K in the US; my insurance would make me pay $250 per refill. I can get the same brand name from Canada for $500, and using the same ratio, I would only have to pay $125.
Of course, there's no way in hell my health insurance will cover Canadian drugs, so I have to take the generic which costs me $60/refill. Fortunately, there's no side effects to taking the generic.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/whitepapers/drugprices.htmldanmand said:
Generic Drug Prices in the U.S. Are Lower Than Drug Prices in Canada
....In the U.S., generic drugs, which comprise roughly half of all prescriptions, are cheaper than both Canadian branded drugs and Canadian generic drugs....
Well you're an exception. I have a family friend in the US who buys all her drugs in Canada. With the cancer she has, she needs a lot of different prescription drugs. Much cheaper here in Canada. OTC drugs might be different.danmand said:
This whole thing in the US about how Canadian drugs aren't safe is BS and more fear mongering. Canada's drug supply is one of the safest in the world. Americans also think the Canadian government subsidizes the drugs here. More misinformation some use for political means.
Not exactly true. Yes the active ingredient to make the drug is identical, but all the exipients and binders may not be. Brand name drugs ensure these are free of lactose and BSE pathogens, for example. Plus they ensure they are met to cGMP drug standards, when in theory they are just food additives. Generic manufacturers will buy the cheapest exipients and binders they can get on the market. Often from China and India.fridrikk said:
Another misunderstanding is that generics will be manufactured the same. This is not true. Generics will be manufactured cheaply, often cutting manufacturing processes that increase quality, but would be more costly, often cutting extra quality control tests, and often using inferior equipment. For example a generics' shelf life may be shorter due to many variables like lower quality standards of the binders, less friability (ability for the tablet to remain intact and keep it's shape) of the tablet, or an increase in the amount of 'safe contaminants' which may lead to decay. Worse, it may lead to adverse reactions due to variable pharmacokinetic interactions. Most people think reactions are due to the main ingredient, when in many cases it's due to the inferior quality standards generics place on the exipients and binders.
Drugs do NOT cost more in Canada. Canada has the Patented Medicines Price Review Board that sets the cost of drugs. Usually a large order of magnitude less than in the US. It one reason why there is no R&D and very little manufacturing of brand names in Canada any more.
rama putri said:
I believe that generic drugs have to pass the same bio tests as the original drugs.
I just gave you an example to the contrary. And pharmaceutical companies are not run by idiots. They do their R&D where they can do it the cheapest.rama putri said:
