As high prices of U.S. prescription drugs make it increasingly difficult for consumers, states and businesses to afford health care, the issue of prescription drug re-importation is at the forefront of a heated national debate.
Due to current regulations, the FDA does not advise individuals to import prescription drugs, even though Americans are banding together in a grassroots movement to purchase their life-saving medications from Canada.
Supporters of re-importation say prescription drugs are intended to provide relief; yet, many Americans need relief from the high prices they pay. The cost of pharmaceuticals in America - including the top 30 brand-name drugs prescribed for seniors - soars above all other countries and continues to rise above the rate of inflation.
For instance, the cholesterol-lowering Lipitor rose 5.5 times the rate of inflation last year; Celebrex for arthritis and joint pain increased 5.4 times the rate of inflation; and Norvasc, used to treat high blood pressure, climbed 6.6 times the rate of inflation, according to a Families USA report.
Prescription drugs have become so unaffordable that some lawmakers in various cities and states allow their residents to purchase their prescription medications from Canada.
Boston recently began offering prescription drugs from Canada to help its city workers save an estimated $1 million a year. Vermont, too, is taking action. Recently, the state decided to sue the Food and Drug Administration after the agency denied its request to import prescription drugs from Canada.
Many states, including Louisiana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Illinois and Maryland, are challenging the FDA's policy on re-importation and encouraging residents to acquire their prescriptions from Canada, while some entities have launched Web sites or provided links to online pharmacies in Canada.
A company called RX Processing Corp. (OTC: RXPC) also is helping Americans obtain prescription drugs from safe sources outside the United States. According to RX Processing Corp., Canadian medications must meet strict safety standards and are as safe as U.S. medications.
With a physician's prescription, the company can ship consumers a 90-day supply of many brand name and generic medications available in the United States. Canadian licensed physicians and pharmacists handle the medications, which are approved by a Canadian Standards Commission.
To fill a prescription or for more information, visit www.rxprocessingcorp.com or call 1-800-576-7055. - NU |
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