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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/11/2008 11:37:30 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 4871
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Big Pharma is the problem with our healthcare in the US, seriously if we went(back) to a non-profit type of system the costs would be much more reasonable.
Not that I really have any reason to complain, our health care coverage is pretty darn good.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/11/2008 11:59:00 PM
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lexie
Posts: 2959
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From: Toronto
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quote:
Big Pharma is the problem with our healthcare in the US
I don't know the whole story but isn't that why a lot of people come to Canada to buy their drugs, because we sell generic and big pharma won't let it happen in the US?
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 12:01:00 AM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 4871
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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quote:
ORIGINAL: lexie
quote:
Big Pharma is the problem with our healthcare in the US
I don't know the whole story but isn't that why a lot of people come to Canada to buy their drugs, because we sell generic and big pharma won't let it happen in the US?
Um, we have LOTS of generics but I know people that buy drugs that are legal in Canada but not in the US. Or maybe you get generics earlier then we do?
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 12:59:48 AM
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lexie
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From: Toronto
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The drugstores along the border apparently make a lot of money from Americans coming over for the day.
I've just been reading online, apparently it's cheaper because our government regulates the price. One article I read says it's half the price here. The generic thing I mentioned must be from something else I read. Apparently GlaxoSmithKline doesn't want to sell their drugs to any Canadian pharmacies who export drugs to the US or sells to Americans.
It's unfortunate to see what a hold pharmaceutical companies can have over people's wallets.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 2:30:40 AM
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ThursdaysChild
Posts: 344
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From: The Arabian Gulf
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Drugs over here are much cheaper as well. In Lebanon I love to go to the pharmacy because I can buy what I need without a prescription. I realize there are serious drawbacks to that, but when you know what you need, that what are typically OTC drugs won't punch out your migraine, why mess with waiting a couple of days for the doc to call in a prescription. The pharmacists are pretty good about not just selling you an antibiotic without a scrip from a doc though. Not always, but usually.
Another thing that makes the US so expensive for healthcare is how lawsuit-happy we are. The doctors are paying so much for malpractice insurance they have to charge us more. Frankly we deserve it. If we'd learn to recognize that they're humans with no more ability to cure than the average person, we wouldn't need to pay more so they could afford to be sued.
My health insurance through my school will cover me pretty much anywhere in the world except the USA. If I choose to go there for treatment of some kind, they'll cover, but the percentage of what they pay is less and it has to be pre-approved. Why bother? Especially since you can get just as good treatment/meds in many countries besides the USA? But I haven't used that insurance yet because anyone with a civil ID can go to a ministry clinic and pay 1 KD for office visit, meds, any tests needed, and a referral to another doctor, if needed.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 8:02:28 AM
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LaurainAL
Posts: 1228
Joined: 8/13/2005
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This is sort of off topic, but the big pharma comment reminded me.
I had a conversation with a lady at the gym yesterday who speculates that the obesity epidemic is related to the over use of high fructose corn syrup. She also wonders if the pharmacutical industry is behind that too as they stand to make huge profits on any anti-obesity drugs, or heart disease drugs.
Any thoughts?
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 8:45:47 AM
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myka
Posts: 814
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In the US, the big pharma companies are allowed a period of time where any "new" drug is free from any competition. I think it is 5-7 years. Since there is no competition, the company can set the price where it wants. Part of the rationale for this is that it allows the companies to recoup some of the money that it spends for R&D of new drugs. The real bummer is that many of the "new" drugs are either not covered by insurance or subject to high copayments. (because they are usually really expensive) Then the pharma companies market their drugs to doctors, and sometimes directly to the consumers.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 9:41:58 AM
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peculiar_lady2
Posts: 8768
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quote:
The pharmacists are pretty good about not just selling you an antibiotic without a scrip from a doc though. Not always, but usually.
that is not good because antibiotics lose their affect if they are taken too often....and once it loses it's affect on you then you can't take that antibiotic again for the rest of your life. Overuse of it is NOT good. That's why dr's keep a tight reign on it.
quote:
ORIGINAL: LaurainAL
This is sort of off topic, but the big pharma comment reminded me.
I had a conversation with a lady at the gym yesterday who speculates that the obesity epidemic is related to the over use of high fructose corn syrup. She also wonders if the pharmacutical industry is behind that too as they stand to make huge profits on any anti-obesity drugs, or heart disease drugs.
Any thoughts?
in all of my many many hours or research on corn syrup, that has never really come up. I think some people try in their conspiracy theories to drag others into things. I have found a lot on HFCS, but never on a connection between them and pharma.
I do believe it being in everything might have something to do with the "obesity epidemic", however I think that is overplayed too and it's not just HFCS...it's a bunch of other factors....including video games, not getting outside to do basic exercise, schools getting rid of gym/play time, tv, fast food, convenience food, women working more and not fixing as many home cooked meals, and I could go on.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 10:39:22 AM
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TwinCityGirl
Posts: 1185
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quote:
ORIGINAL: LaurainAL
1. the obesity epidemic is related to the over use of high fructose corn syrup.
2. She also wonders if the pharmacutical industry is behind that too as they stand to make huge profits on any anti-obesity drugs, or heart disease drugs.
Hi, Laura:
I don't know about #2 (but would absolutely have NO TROUBLE believing their is a connection...I don't know that their is one but I think people would be SHOCKED what big pharma does do behind our backs.
With regard to #1 -- high fructose corn syrup and the link to obesity here -- ABSOLUTELY. HFCS is in so many things, and it triggers something called opiate receptors in your brain to CRAVE MORE. At some point in the USA they took sugar out of soda and put HFCS in there instead. NOT GOOD. Somebody is making boatloads of money making HFCS (not going to blame Big Pharma for that, but it's terrible how much stuff it's in, and what it does to people).
Jeanie
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 1:30:05 PM
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solo_soprano22
Posts: 2431
Joined: 4/27/2005
From: I'm a Southern girl
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quote:
I talked to my FIL(biological chemist) about this the other day and he said you would be genuinely surprised at how expensive research is, especially since grant funding has been drastically cut.
I was about to say something similar. I'd like for stuff to be cheap, but in that "business," it's not always possible-- despite what most may think.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 3:32:27 PM
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myka
Posts: 814
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hfcs is also pretty cheap to produce in comparison to sugar.(or at least it was until we also put corn in our cars in the form of ethanol)
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/12/2008 11:26:31 PM
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lexie
Posts: 2959
Joined: 6/27/2005
From: Toronto
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quote:
As a patient you do have a right to ask them (and get an answer) of what things are going to cost, though
Yeah, I guess it's like I've mentioned to you before, that in my case I don't have to submit anything to anyone, so it's never even occured to even ask and find out how expensive things actually are! I definitely take that one for granted.
quote:
What is the point in finding a cure just to make it unaffordable? People are giving money for cancer research all the time and they can't even make their "cure" affordable?
Having worked for a major not-for-profit cancer organization, I can tell you that the great big wonderful number they raise, isn't always what they put toward research. Some of the money does, but when you look at the amount of money that actually goes into running some of these organizations, and how expensive research is, the numbers become completely different.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/13/2008 1:49:28 AM
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TwinCityGirl
Posts: 1185
Joined: 4/12/2005
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Lexie,
Do you ever see any kind of (not a bill) but any kind of summary of what services you received or any paperwork mailed to you at all?
DH and I were looking at insurance information tonight and we started wondering what happened up in Canada since the system is different. We didn't even have one guess between the two of us so I thought I would come on and ask you!
Jeanie
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 3/13/2008 8:23:42 AM
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LaurainAL
Posts: 1228
Joined: 8/13/2005
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quote:
Ethanol cannot be transported that way since it does mix with water. If it does this it's rendered useless. You know how they transport ethanol fuel that's supposed to 'save' the planet & universe from global warming/cooling (whichever one it is this week)? In tanker trucks that use good old fashioned gasoline.
Good point. And doesn't ethanol spoil? Can it be transported without spoiling?
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