It is hard for some Americans to come to terms with why a prescription drug manufactured in America, would cost more than 60% less in other developed countries. In the past it was believed that they were not of the same quality, however this is just a myth, there is no difference in quality between the two types of drugs. The difference in price between America and the other developed countries has to do in the difference in how the pharmaceutical industry works, and how the governments handle it.
The main reason why brand name drugs are more expensive in America is because there are no price caps to limit the price of these drugs in the market. In Canada and most of Europe the government controls how much the pharmaceutical company can charge for their drugs. In America such price controls are seen as an introduction of the socialist’s ideology of market control into the American industry. The law favors the pharmaceutical companies and allows them to set their price any how they deem fit, in order to recoup the profits they put into the research of the drug.
Patent laws are more liberal in America than in the other developed countries. The patent which gives the company exclusive rights to sell the product for a certain period of time, lasts longer than in those countries. In Canada, it has been observed that generics tend to be available in the market 5 years earlier than in the US.
Meaning the people in America are paying the high brand name prices for longer. Sometimes when the patent period is through, a pharmaceutical may approach a generic maker and try to come up with an agreement that will help extend his period of monopoly. All these maneuvers are easier for pharmaceuticals in the US to make because of the liberal laws there.
The drug companies in the US also spend a lot of money to market and lobby to keep these laws. The amount of money that these companies spend on lobbying is more than any other industry spends. To recoup all these expenses they have to charge higher in the US.
It is possible for you to buy prescription drugs from an online Canadian pharmacy. This purchase is however governed by certain restrictions as stipulated by American laws. The intention is ostensibly to protect Americans from terrorist attacks through the re-importation of some of the medication manufactured in America.
You can still buy the medication from the comfort of your home, as long as you follow the right guidelines and choose a reputable online Canadian pharmacy. You will have to provide the written prescription from your doctor which will then be approved by a Canadian doctor. Be sure to establish the authenticity of the drug store you will be buying through and check their address as well as other relevant details.
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