Drugs from
Canada still best option to beat
price-gouging of large drug companies says
CEO of leading internet pharmacy
Winnipeg,
MB (Special)—The founder and CEO of one of Canada’s leading internet
pharmacies says that a recent report by the AARP on excessive
pricing abuses of large pharmaceutical companies is further
validation that the ‘Canadian Option’ remains the best value for
Americans seeking competitively priced, safe, high-quality
prescriptions.
Jeff Uhl,
president of
www.UniversalDrugStore.com notes that the drug companies’ price
increases averaged 7.1 percent or more than 2.5 times the rate of
inflation, resulting in the highest one-year price increases levied
against Americans in five years.
“One can
only watch with dismay the continued abuse of the health care needs
of American citizens as large drug companies continue their
practices of predatory pricing,” Uhl says. “Coming in light of
promised drug price values through the Medicare Prescription Drug
Card program, these price increases cast doubt on the ability of the
U.S. government to negotiate reasonable prices.
“Ironically, the increases come at a time when many of the drug
companies are under increasing criticism for their rush to put
unsafe drugs on the market, and while they are attempting to
restrict the access of nearly two million Americans to quality, safe
and lower-cost prescriptions from outside the U.S. by cutting off
supplies of their own products to registered, licensed pharmacies in
Canada and elsewhere.
“That is
why the health care professionals and pharmacists at
www.UniversalDrugStore.com have increased our commitment to
create competitive pressures by offering Americans a continuing
source of these prescription drugs from our licensed, registered
pharmacy.”
Uhl noted
that the U.S. Congress continues to progress on consideration of a
number of legislative initiatives that will establish procedures for
the sale of prescription drugs from outside the U.S. within the
country.
“The
passage of some form of effective legislation facilitating the sale
of drugs from outside the U.S. seems to be—along with the ‘Canadian
Option’-- the only things that can protect Americans from the
arbitrary, unrealistic and harsh pricing policies of large drug
companies,” Uhl says. "Otherwise, they will be allowed to continue,
unchecked, with their practice of 'Profits Before People'."