Cost of Medicine

It is common knowledge that you can get American made medicine cheaper in Mexico and Canada but I just read in the Economist magazine that Europe is enjoying the same benefit.

Merck apparently is worried about possible drug-price controls and that "They are completely opposed to such European-style rationing of care". The article goes on to say that the industry makes much of its profit in the unfettered American market and price controls would threaten that flow of cash. Then Merck says that would curtail investing in research and that everyone would suffer, since the rest of the world free-rides on American spending.

The article mentions that if the government were to demand a 20% cut in the drug prices paid by Medicare that it would shave profits at the biggest drug firms by a mere 5%. I, for one, would like to see them recover that loss by discontinuing the annoying ads for Viagra and all those other sex assistance medications.

Think about that all of you who have to reduce or eliminate your own medications because you can no longer afford to pay for them.

Joe