Online Pharmacy & Drug News

The case for using online pharmacies has become more compelling with the recent publication of a report that quantifies the savings available.  Pharmacy Checker (www.PharmacyChecker.com ) and independent online pharmacy ratings agency, has published a free online report that shows the savings available on popular brand and generic drugs when they are bought online.

Pharmacy Checker confirms that savings are available from online pharmacies both within the US and offshore.  However an analysis of the top ten pharmaceutical brands sold in the USA in 2007 shows that the average saving offered by a US online pharmacies was 19% whereas it was over 70% was if the same products were bought from and international online pharmacy.

This should be of interest to the 47 million Americans who are uninsured and the 25 million who are underinsured.   Even those with drug coverage can face exorbitant co-pays to get the products they want. Some studies have shown that people without drug coverage can skip doses, stop taking medication altogether, or switch to less expensive (and less effective) OTC alternatives. 

Anyone with access to a computer should be able buy quality brand and generic drugs from online pharmacies with confidence.   There are still many rogue pharmacy websites which must be avoided, however consumers can have confidence in online pharmacies that have been checked and verified by a recognized 3^rd party accreditation agency like Pharmacy Checker.  While it is not technically legal for Americans to import drugs by placing an order with an overseas online pharmacy, the FDA has adopted a policy of not intercepting prescription drug imports for personal use, so long as the supply is for 90 days or less and does not include controlled drugs. 

In 2006 health care spending in the US rose to $7,026 per US citizen.  An alarming 16 percent of the US gross domestic product!   

This is why the President Elect will be focusing on all areas of the US health care system, including the high cost of medicines compared to the rest of the western world.  Obama has made it clear that he wants a health care system that is affordable and is accessible to everyone. 

Pharmaceutical business analysts believe that Obama’s win will mean that there will be a change in policy to allow for the re-importation of many drugs.  This may also include speeding up regulatory pathway for bio-generics.   Although bio-generics are already manufactured in Europe and India, there is no pathway for regulatory approval in the U.S., which is stalling their introduction into the lucrative U.S. market.

The result of the recent Presidential election means that lawmakers will move quickly on drug reimportation legislation.  This will allow drugs produced by U.S. manufacturers then and sold into Canada and Europe to be reimported back into the U.S. by patients.   This is the prediction of  John Manthei, global co-chair of the health care and life sciences practice at the Washington law firm Latham & Watkins LLP.  Manthei makes this prediction because President-Elect Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has previously shown support for the legislation.

Manthei also thinks there will be more achieved in the health care focused committees in the Senate with Sen. Hillary Clinton now able to focus on these issues without the distraction of presidential campaign.   This has effectively taken her away from health where she has tremendous interest and expertise.

America’s President in waiting has declared war on an industry that is bleeding the nation dry. He has the cost of drugs at the top of his agenda which is why the stock prices of many of the powerful companies in the industry (Pfizer, Merck and Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline) are falling further than other stocks.

With “President Obama” will come a serious discussion about socializing the nations drug supply.   The current system simply is not working with American expenditure per head on healthcare double the amount in Britain and a large part of that is related to the cost of drugs.

On average, for the same drug, an Americans pays twice as much as someone in the UK. While American insurers pick up a great deal of the bill the lack of efficiency is a problem.   Despite the insurance system, over 45% of healthcare costs are carried by the American taxpayer.

According to polls, healthcare costs are a bigger issue than Iraq for most Americans, hardly surprising given that it affects a greater number. Many pensioners fly to Canada in search of cheaper prescription medicine while others use the Internet to access online pharmacies most of which offer drugs from other countries at much lower prices.   In his campaigning Senator Obama said he supported drug imports but he also wants to fix the underlying problems causing the price disparity that exist between America and other countries

Of course the drug giants argue that without their US profits, research and development of new medicines will slow. It is true that the industry reinvests more of its sales revenue than most back into R&D however its problem is that innovative drugs with high sales potential are simply not emerging.

Both Democratic and Republican presidential nominees support prescription drug reimportation from other nations. 
A Obama campaign advsior said, “We have not changed our position on this issue, but obviously there have been concerns about countries like China,” adding, “Our plan does not envision importing drugs from China , but from countries with strong records of safety, like Canada and Europe.”

A McCain campaign spokesperson said  McCain understands the need to have a properly documented prescription drug supply chain.  McCain would require all medications from other nations to “meet state and federal standards for safety.   This would require additional funds to ensure the safety of such medications.  FDA Director Janet Woodcock said that the agency would require $225 million in additional funds to inspect such medications (CQ HealthBeat, 10/27).

All products listed on www.MedStoreInternational.com are from developed western countries with strong drug regulatory agencies and/or from FDA approved manufacturing facilities.