Is the U.S. about to 'pillage' Canada's drug supply? | About That

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing Florida to import prescription drugs from Canada in bulk, potentially saving the state $150 million annually. Andrew Chang explains how this agreement works - and whether Canada could face shortages as a result.
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[@jonathanvezina5349]

We need to protect the supply for Canadians first and foremost. If America first is okay for our neighbours, it's okay for us to do the same.

[@Cafeallday222]

Exactly

[@addanametocontinue]

I haven't seen the whole video, but can't Canadian manufacturers just increase supply if demand increases? My understanding is that most prescription drugs aren't really limited by any natural resource. You can make a lot of it, the demand just needs to be there. Drug prices are only high because American manufacturers artificially inflate prices.

[@Ryfael]

It's ok for Canadians to do "America First"? That's what you just said....

[@slivor23]

@@addanametocontinue They go into it at around the 4 minute mark. Manufacturers hate this since they'd be losing potential profits by selling to Canada which will just resell to the states.

[@jonathanvezina5349]

@@Ryfael You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer are you. Did you happen to read the first sentence? It's called context.

[@yaughl]

The US can cap drug prices in its own country via federal law. Unfortunately the people who would be responsible for such legislation have a conflict of interest; their greed is incompatible with this concept.

[@MrAgustos]

I would imagine the Republicans are responsible for that, I do not know for sure but it sure sounds like them.

[@denisrichard58]

@@MrAgustos Both parties are paid for by drug and weapons companies.

[@ccx22]

why republican florida is destroying business of drug maker@@MrAgustos

[@justjoking5841]

end lobbying and 'the people'' get their demands wholesale

[@JEdwarrd]

Well the US FDA has been bought off by industry plants. The HBO doc, Crime of the Century exposes the Sackler family & their scheme to create addicts while lying their products are non-habit forming. This idea coming from Ron Desantis out of Florida is just more corruption the US offloads onto other countries.

[@mikebean.]

The us needs to pass their own prescription price protection laws

[@3rdandlong]

It will only happen if the corruption ends. Members of Congress are NOT going to pass a law that prohibits them from getting rich off legalized bribery. They are on the dole of Big Pharma. A President that is not affiliated with either party, and does not accept campaign donations from corporations is what it would take to end this crap. Until then, we are F'd.

[@user-ze3sg6ix1u]

exactly, it's a classic example of regulatory capture. they need to allow for more supply. its so corrupt

[@D33Lux]

Also remove the "war on drug" persecution of people who used harmless psychoactive medicines like Marijuana, mushrooms and peyote.

[@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket]

The us? Do you mean the US? or the USA (same diff). My understanding is Canada already has drug pricing controls and that's why we Americans are importing them from you all. Also your supply won't run out unless our local supply does as it all comes from the same source. Why to be the least common denominator on figuring that out bud.

[@3rdandlong]

@@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket Forgetting capital letters and periods is a common occurrence in the comment section.

[@CanadianSmoke]

America, the greatest nation on the planet... at the cost of everyone else.

[@Adam.Langton]

And at the cost of it's own citizens.

[@gunsmithbasic]

It's the other way. Them paying through the nose is subsidizing R and D of drugs. The rest of the western world benefits

[@Mike-or3ry]

PLEASE. Where do most of these drugs get invented ? SHOCKING THE US OF A.

[@wagnermoreira786]

This sentence is awesome! I just cant agree with it being the great nation, it is actually a terrible nation for so many reasons.

[@PotatoToon]

@@Mike-or3ry Insulin was discovered in Canada

[@lorenzovizza5357]

Well, I'm all for Floridians having affordable diabetes and asthma meds, I really am. However, maybe they should change their laws so that their pharma companies don't charge ridiculous prices for medicine that was invented 30 years ago. I hope Florida helps their citizens get the meds they need, but not at our expense. Our forebearers fought for a medicare system that was humane and fair, and we can't let that change. Our doctors are not poor, and neither are our pharmacists, and yet, even a homeless person with a medicare card gets an asthma pump. Why? Because it's right. That's how you make a good society.

[@Adzes]

The drugs are based on a free patent 4:03 from Banting and Bess

[@tessietesoro7407]

👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@philipcrawford7415]

If the drug dealers didn't have criminal governments profiting so much, we would have free medicine, not expensive drugs bought from rich drug dealers. Bigpharma

[@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket]

Medicine is to deeply entrenched to allow that. The thing for me is all these Canadians freaking out about running out of supplies. Guys... it all comes from the same source we're a globalized economy. Like come on.

[@Adam.Langton]

It's almost like necessities shouldn't be left to corporate greed.

[@justsayin5609]

No 'almost', friend~!

[@BeeRich33]

I can say without a doubt, that you have no clue what you're talking about. Drug development aren't candies. Study the pharma industry then come back here to lecture people. The fact you find drugs for your diseases necessities, pretty much defines the market, doesn't it. But you want it cheap, like someone owes you a solution. Do you build houses then sell them for $50? I don't think so.

[@WhichDoctor1]

​@@BeeRich33 do you know what an inelastic market is? Doesn't sound like it. But it's why Americans spend twice as much as any other developed country on healthcare and get much worse results. When people have no choice whether to buy a product or not because their life may depend on it, then the free market results in vast inefficiencies and profiteering. And 90% of the money drugs companies extract from Americans through artificially inflated prices go straight to dividends executive bonuses and marketing budgets. They only spend a few percent of their total income on developing new drugs. Money that would still be available if America had drugs at the same price as the rest of the developed world. The only people who would be hurt by the USA driving down drugs prices would be the super rich who make huge profits off them. Start learning the facts and don't just swallow corporate propaganda mindlessly like you've been trained to

[@CorrineK22]

This could become very problematic for Canadians. Drug manufacturers may decide to further limit the supply they sell to Canada, as they know we will sell part of our supply to the USA (resulting in lost revenue for them). In negotiating prices, manufacturers may decide they want a higher price from Canadian distributors/pharmacies to compensate for their lost revenue from the USA. Who will the additional cost fall on? Likely the everyday Canadian. I feel for Americans, but they need to lobby their government for better health care costs. If Canadian law can set price limits for negotiation, why can't the USA do the same for their citizens?

[@neolithic3]

Agreed!!

[@Austin.D]

That's easier said than done unfortunately the people in charge of pushing such legislations are greedy and corrupt

[@markstevens1729]

If the Canadian government allows its citizens to suffer shortages for the failings of another country, heads will roll.

[@kalenluck]

Our manufacturers will move here for the sales

[@pinkcichlid]

What do you mean “if”? Aren’t we already sacrificing our own citizen’s quality of life to accommodate refugees because of “the failings of” many other countries?

[@TheBaldr]

Basically the US has to supplement drug prices because other countries use their government to bully drug companies to get their drugs at below fair market price. It should be illegal for governments to force price caps.

[@YeaYeaOKBUT]

But since Canada doesn’t own the drug makers- how is our government supposed to stop them from selling to a customer in 🇺🇸?

[@politicallyincorrect1705]

You mean Trudeau will do something? Ha ha!

[@RC_2002]

Only way for the Americans is to change their laws to permit bulk buying and negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers. Change the system from within and leave Canada out of this.

[@0bsmith0]

They rarely seem to want to fix much of anything. It mostly tends to be bandaids on broken systems due to the unwillingness to do anything.

[@AbramSJA]

That would be the logical thing to do. Unfortunately it seems big pharma has too much $$ and lobbying power in the U.S congress to prevent such a thing from happening.

[@0bsmith0]

@@AbramSJA That's called corruption.

[@alias19]

@@0bsmith0 That’s called Citizens United. A.K.A. legalized corruption.

[@0bsmith0]

@@alias19 I agree. Citizens United should have never happened.

[@doc8287]

We really need to investigate and regulate the pharmacy industry as a whole

[@zakstev]

Amen to that, but a lobby exists, including myself, including myself' who believe there are many occasions where drugs are both unnecessary and replaceable. By using safer alternative regimes, such as homeopathic medicine.

[@pxn748]

Not just pharma, but the whole health industry!

[@freedomforall236]

Gangstas... DEPOPULATORS

[@BeeRich33]

Because you see them as being bad people? What do you know about the pharma industry? I'm sure you know little to nothing about it. Most people have absolutely no clue about drug development. If you shut down pharma, then there won't be drugs for diseases you think are not natural. Pharma companies don't owe you anything.

[@HelloThere-jd8vd]

Canadians must stop this. We can't have canadians unable to access drugs because they have been sold to Florida.

[@beefweiner]

the drugs haven't shipped yet dude..

[@llhll8264]

You realize the meds are from mostly American pharma.

[@HelloThere-jd8vd]

@@llhll8264 indont care if they are from Indian pharma. Keep canadas drugs in canada. Canada first.

[@cupguin]

Did you bother to watch the video before getting upset? Canada has literally and preemptively banned any export of drugs to America that would cause a shortage or could lead to a shortage.

[@cupguin]

​@@llhll8264 That also misses the point because any imported drugs are unlikely to be allowed to be purchased by Canadians to export to America. American pharma isn't going to want to try and sell Florida it's $300 when Florida can buy the exact same branded drug from Canada at $100. So any big pharma company interested in profits will have any Canadian importer agree that they won't resell to any American state.

[@O.G.MISFIT]

Canadian prescription medication is not the answer for America's inability to manage their own 🤬

[@sebm.5930]

But our citizens make it, and then the companies sell it to you for cheaper than they would ever to us.

[@agilemind6241]

@@sebm.5930 They would sell it to you for the same price if your government made them do so. But I guess that gets in the way of "Freedom" so they won't do it. That's not our fault, so it's not our responsibility to fix it for you.

[@charlolel]

@@sebm.5930 As it showed in the video it's a problem that states the federal need to handle : Negotating lower prices for drugs. That's why the prices are cheaper here and in the rest of the OECD. Even if the drugs comes from the US it doesn't matter at all, the US caused this problem and can fix it but YOU AS AN AMERICAN decided that it wasn't a priority.

[@sebm.5930]

@charlolel oh sure, let me just vote for the guy who says he's going to fix it - oh, wait, that's every politician since the early 00s. Well, that's fine, I certainly won't be underrepresented in favor of political lobbyists with million dollar budgets given to them by the pharmaceutical industry to protect private interests. Surely. How about Americans argue for the prices the rest of the world gets and *your* medicine suddenly stops being subsidized? Do you understand we effectively pay for the healthcare of the world? Why doesn't Canada step up production?

[@The_Keh27]

If the US would actually negotiate/regulate medical costs instead of allowing them to go insane (remember that douche who jacked up a life-saving medication from $1.50 per pill to $30 each for no legitimate reason), then they wouldn't need to swipe from other countries

[@iiyyxxnn]

The guy your reffering to was giving the drug away for free to those that needed it and using the extra profits to donate to much needed research. You really should form your own opinions instead of listening to others these days.

[@ArohaStill]

​@@iiyyxxnnthe guy in jail?

[@iiyyxxnn]

@@ArohaStill my point proven 🤡

[@iExploder]

@@iiyyxxnnYeah, cool story bro. By your logic we shouldn't listen to you either.

[@bobwoods1302]

I thought the "free market" and "competition" was supposed to drive prices down?

[@cherylgish]

Free market economy is a theory found in a textbook. Its unable to be a reality.

[@planefan082]

To an extent. Gotta keep it from turning itself into a monopoly, which is the natural conclusion of being expected to maximize profits above all else

[@karatsurba4791]

​@@planefan082good point. The FTC is there to prevent it from happening

[@ryuuguu01]

That is why they made the "free market" illegal in the legal drug market.

[@JEdwarrd]

The "free market" has always been a lie, the proof: all the bail outs after wall street intentionally crashed the market in 08'. More proof: Reagan's failed economic theory of supply side economics/ trickle down economics. Big oil, telecom, pharmaceutical companies etc. are proof of the theories failure.

[@natalievancouver8188]

This has been tried when Trump was the President but the Canadian government turned it down. Several states have tried in the past but the Canadian government turned it down so people couldn’t do this now either. We protect our own first

[@scbtripwire]

Aren't many drugs manufactured in the US already ? Wouldn't this mean those drugs could cross the border twice, just to guarantee the US a lower price? This sounds like they're trying to get around their own laws instead of changing them to result in more reasonable prices for themselves. Idiotic.

[@JEdwarrd]

That's exactly what they are doing. They won't reform their corrupt system b/c wealth protects wealth. So they create workarounds that hurt more ppl. It's pretty disgusting & shows the decline of the US on the world stage.

[@keithpalmer4547]

correct

[@IMGreg..]

Yes very American.

[@RosscoAW]

Yes, a consequence of incredibly bad public policy on the part of the US federal government.

[@dra6o0n]

CBC is a state media company.

[@mrbarth]

I'm a dual Americanadian. I've been part of this great nation for 20+ years. I probably will get flack from this comment but the Americans have made their beds and I am all in favour of them sleeping in them and leaving Canada and Canadians alone concerning our health care system. They could demand a change of their own Rx manufacturing companies, but they won't. It wouldn't benefit the US Shareholders wallets. Money drives the USA.

[@RosscoAW]

Nobody good faith will give you flak for that, it's the obvious and it's also a moral imperative. Americans would think *exactly the same thing,* UNIVERSALLY, without real exception except from socialists (y'know, moral people), if the case was reversed. That's just obviously good public policy, and America's healthcare legislation is objectively bad public policy according to literally every respectable political scientist, literally ever. America's regime exists solely to benefit American pharmaceutical investors and by extension the pharmaceutical monopolies they are invested in, and literally not a single other priority is relevant in comparison to that. America, once again, proving that capitalism is fundamentally flawed in functionally every meaningful way.

[@tchevrier]

In Canada health care is considered a right for all citizens. In the US health care is considered a business for those who can afford it. That's the fundamental difference between the two. If the US doesn't like how that philosophy works for certain things like medication, then maybe they should look at their fundamental philosophy on health care.

[@llhll8264]

So then America should stop Canadians who cross the border to get surgery because your healthcare waits are too long?

[@albundy9706]

@@tchevrier I think you mean, in Canada, healthcare is awful for everyone. In America, healthcare is awful if you don't work.

[@tchevrier]

@@albundy9706 No, in the US healthcare is pretty much non-existent if you don't have money. In Canada healthcare is very good for everyone but you might have to wait.

[@recklessmermaid]

I’m a Canadian on a medication that routinely has had shortages in the US since Covid. We recently had a shortage in Canada and my pharmacy couldn’t fill my entire prescription. This medication impacts my quality of life and dependence on our social systems in a major way and I cant tell you how angry it makes me that the US won’t just negotiate their own drug access

[@natalievancouver8188]

I’ve had the problem of shortages for my meds as well. Life saving needing to take 12 of this one just to keep me alive. Then there’s a few I have to take to keep me alive and need to function in life.

[@stardude2006]

Stricter, law-enforcement for the Americans coming up here to buy pharmaceuticals, It’s the same directive for border services when they smuggle in GUNS into Canada. We need to be more vigilant about this. Canadians are given a hard time when they visit the US.

[@BeeRich33]

We do have health cards. Why aren't they being used? Oh right, failure of our fantastic government. As usual

[@Kumiko026]

I’ve worked in pharmacy for over 10 years, and I have seen a large number of our customers over the years coming from the US for all sorts of medications. And I would hear different stories on why it was cheaper to come to Canada and buy it. Hell, there was one man from California who came every 3 months, and he told me it was cheaper to fly into BC, stay a few days and buy his meds than get them in the US. That’s insane.

[@EA-ck4so]

Do pharmacies check if the prescription is issued by a Canadian licensed doctor?

[@frej__]

Non-residents can get their own scribes filled at Canadian pharmacies when visiting?? I didn't know that 🤔 is it like that in most countries?

[@AbramSJA]

⁠@@frej__Pharmacies in Canada can only dispense prescriptions written by a Canadian prescriber such as a MD or nurse practitioner. So these medical tourists from the states are most likely seeing a Canadian doctor or going to a Canadian walk in clinic for a prescription.

[@frej__]

Thank you for clarifying!

[@EA-ck4so]

@@AbramSJA In ON a canadian health card is required to get a doctor consultation, even in a walk in clinic. Isn't same in BC?

[@doomedbringer]

I don’t see why Americans have a problem paying those obscene drug prices. They LOVE to say they are the greatest country on earth, thus they should be happy with everything they have. Funny how fast that attitude can change

[@RosscoAW]

Yeah, weird, it's almost like they're definitely not even remotely a "good" country in the hemisphere, nevermind the whole world.

[@Mike-or3ry]

Who makes most of the drugs & equipment we use ?

[@doomedbringer]

@@Mike-or3ry the point is they pay obscene prices for drugs, we dont. If their country is perfect as they always claim then they should be more than happy to pay those obscene drug prices as discussed in this video

[@BeeRich33]

Well let's remember, all the drugs on the market, come from the US. Funny how you missed that.

[@frankojudoka]

Of course. Driving up demand while we cannot supply enough would mean prices will go up here, too.

[@frankinhonda]

My wife hasn't been able to get her diabetes medication for months and as a result has been moved to a different much less effective medication. If we don't have the supply for are own citizens it should he illegal for anyone to get even a 3 month supply from Canada and large bulk purchases should not even be a question

[@JEdwarrd]

Completely agree. The US made their bed- now they can lay in it...

[@Dstinct]

The ozempic and similar drug supply issue has very little to do with foreign countries. The issue is doctors prescribing it for weight loss, a byproduct of a side effect.

[@frankinhonda]

@Dstinct yes but Americans coming to Canada are absolutely exasperating the problem. Simple fact is its not up to Canada to solve the problem the American system has created and we should never suffer as a direct result of their poor choices

[@justsayin5609]

@@frankinhonda

[@Metoobie]

Andrew, this is by far my favourite CBC series; you are excellent at presenting facts and perspective without polarization in a world that seems like the integrity of news has been lost to endless loud opinion pieces orchestrated by politics and whoever has the most funding to promote the piece. Thanks for your work, I hope you keep it up.

[@BeeRich33]

He's missed out on a couple valuable points.

[@cindykhella7650]

Canadian government needs to protect Canadians.

[@BeeRich33]

Vote Conservative.

[@rizzed_out_puppy]

All are crooks. Big industry will be humanities downfall

[@BeeRich33]

If you look closely, pharma products over the years have saved countless lives and made life much better. You obviously don't study anything, and know nothing about how drug development works. You just want free stuff. Because that's somehow ethical. Good job.

[@careyosoup274]

my question is, what price will these drugs be sold at? are they going to buy insulin for $34 and turn around to sell it at $380?

[@sonicretronym]

Is this a hugely wasteful process, given they products need to be shipped, stored, and repackaged according to FDA standards. All so they can avoid reforming their own pricing system and piggybacking on an other country’s pricing system. Legislation is the solution is the solution to the pricing issue - not importing.

[@shannonlera3844]

We need to protect our drug supply to ensure affordable prices for Canadians first. Tread carefully. Things like this can be 'a slippery slope'. Initially, they say it won't impact us, but in a short time we end up paying the price.

[@abdullahc6931]

Protect Canadian supplies. The US should stop funding Isræl’s universal healthcare, and start funding their own healthcare.

[@neilpatel7707]

Totally irrelevant.i see where it’s coming from

[@iExploder]

@@neilpatel7707How so? They're giving money to another country and that country uses it to implement public healthcare. They then use the money they're giving away as an excuse not to implement their own public healthcare system. It's very relevant.

[@Mike-or3ry]

60% of US HEALTHCARE is from TAXPAYERS. OBAMACARE(the UNaffordable Health Care Act) premiums up 300%.

[@chrisjackson1215]

@@iExploder We also supply the military that keeps the sea lanes open, keeps third world countries fed, keeps first world countries in good health, and until recently has kept the world stable. Not a word of thanks from any of you - instead we get Candian pharmaceutical companies charging an arm and a leg because they can. Canada and its' citizens are more than happy to turn a blind eye to extortion as long as they're benefiting. Meanwhile the U.S. is giving away money to help others and do without what we need. Looks like "nice" Canadians is a myth. I'm all game for charging Canada an arm and a leg for the goods and services we trade if it balances the scales.

[@TheBaldr]

American drug companies should be banned from selling to Governments and only allowed to sell directly to merchants. Screw Government setting price caps. American have to pay the price because socialist healthcare does not.

[@jimmyarbutus2555]

Let them source their own drugs. They have laws that govern their own internal processes and so do we. There's a reason for that.

[@bobbart4198]

... That " one step " may a bit longer than you think, Ronny ... what Americans need to do is change your OWN laws to allow your OWN Government to negotiate Drug prices ... Canada is NOT subject to AMERICAN Law ! ...

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

There was already a guy running a pharmaceutical company in canada selling to the US and he got shut down.

[@BeeRich33]

As he should. That program, our prices, come from taxpayer funds that negotiated this price. It belongs to us.

[@tdb7992]

It's so strange that Americans think of any scheme to keep prices of medications lower is somehow innovative and radical, when every other English-speaking nation does that already and has done so for decades. If you are in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Ireland or Canada, then you will just be paying a fraction of what an American would for the same medication. A lot of Americans also think that the high drug and insurance prices they pay somehow fund medical research, when they don't. Most big discoveries and innovations in health come from Europe, Australia and Canada. Those high prices they pay just go into an account in the Virgin Islands where no tax authority will ever be able to find it.

[@nonikhanna1]

Thats what less government gets you. More expensive medicines

[@BeeRich33]

You're making no sense. But then again, you're a Leafs fan.

[@evalangley3985]

This will raise the price of drugs in Canada and jeopardize the health care system of canadians.

[@Mike-or3ry]

YES our health care is so good and because it's universal(STATIST GOV RUN).

[@deezysthadonsworld1138]

F all that, I need my MEDs

[@XtraTerrestrial_519]

That pic is wild hahaha

[@faizrizahi7280]

Don't let them screw up the costs in Canada. We have lots of patients who can't pay at the current price. Government have to regulate.

[@doylejodi7502]

The US let that get way too far out of hand. They need some serious regulations.

[@investined]

One funny its Florida the one state who is super anti socialism or free health care bit is full old retires and canadian retieries

[@JEdwarrd]

This is America in a nutshell.. rail against social policies, only to use socialism to bail out the capitalists. It happened after the crash of 1929 via the The New Deal & after the sub-prime mortgage crash in 2008. Then they have their "experts" flood their "news" to manufacture consent about how social policies are "anti-democratic", just as they used social policies to bail out the lying capitalists.

[@Mike-or3ry]

60% of US healthcare is taxpayer funded.

[@oldsteamguy]

Andrew does a great job bringing context to the news.

[@user-xg9js9bo6x]

This is terrifying. This will increase the demand but not the supply so prices will go up. Why increase the supply adequately when you can get more money for less product.

[@dfurster]

We much protect the CBC at all costs

[@alias19]

You being saying that something is not cheap. Then you say something that costs less is ‘three times cheaper’ than the thing that is not cheap. It is not three times cheaper: it might cost 1/3 of the not cheap thing, it might be cheaper, but it cannot be “3x cheaper.”

[@lovingpeace9715]

This will cause even more issues with Canadian health care and costs. The American dollar has much more buying power and many items from housing food and other living expenses are much cheaper in the US This will only add to Canadian inflation, add to medical costs and cause shortages of medical supplies for Canadians.

[@hydniq3327]

What if they get them from Canada then mark them up . This could be a big strain on our supply . Remember supply and demand , the price always goes up .

[@justsayin5609]

Not a 'what if', but 'when'....

[@SY-tn2io]

The US needs to stop spending their money on wars, instead use it to better their people’s lives; at the same time,don’t make our healthcare here in Canada worse.

[@ToysandUnboxHub]

be kind

[@user-iy9cy4tl2h]

I can't help but think this is going to be a lose-lose for Canadians probably driving up the cost of the drugs and making more difficult to find what's your viewpoint?

[@Entername-md1ev]

Same things been happening in Mexico too. Canada and Mexico have been providing cheaper drugs to the US for a while it’s only now that the states are making it an actual law

[@nileyacob3126]

Let me get this straight. If the US federal government or individual states see that their current system is not working, why not change the system instead of going to another country to buy those same medicines? The system in Canada and many of the other countries definitely seems to be working so, implement some of those systems. Problem solved for everybody....well at least almost everybody. I figure that big pharma would be against this and will fight it all the way.

[@Jeanloo]

Buy from Mexico then

[@keithmartin1328]

Exactly.

[@JasonCummer]

I know it could be hard but they should work on changing their own laws so they can get better prices. Either through more production or through better negotiation allowances.

[@FakeSchrodingersCat]

Considering both DeSantis and most of the representatives from Florida in the House and Senate all came out publicly against the federal bill to allow the Government to negotiate directly with drug companies to lower prices in the US this is a very hypocritical move.

[@dougtheslug6435]

I'm a retired contractor and was on the job for 37 years, had a dozen or so clients throughout that time who bought a home here and applied for citizenship before they retired, they moved here to take advantage of our healthcare, drug prices and safer neighborhoods in their golden years when they needed it most I'm guessing.

[@lizzg6723]

It's strange that the American government doesn't allow negotiations between health insurance providers and drug companies. I don't understand the logic. This is clearly not in the best interest of average Americans.

[@SeasoningTheObese]

Trump was blocked from making this happen. By both parties.

[@txquartz]

The insurance companies and states do. It's that government price controls aren't legal as a general case so that's why the federal government can't negotiate pricing for the market at large.

[@gregmurdoch3264]

Why? Canadians have trouble securing access to our medications! My pain meds have been out of stock for 2 or 3 months, and in the last 9 months, I've had to cycle through 8 different medication changes because of short or no supply. Right now I'm talking T3, but I need ~16 of therm a day to function, because the proper medication is out of stock. If we can't stock medication for our citizens, why are we stocking medication for US citizens? If the US government gave itself a sand paper hand job, well just take the sand paper glove off, and stop trying to intentionally short supply Canada.

[@RosscoAW]

That would require that America even be capable of doing good public policy, which, frankly, every single decision they've made since the end of WWII thoroughly disproves.

[@XtraTerrestrial_519]

You can’t get dilaudid they give them out by the 1000s for free everyday to addicts for a safe supply

[@frej__]

Holy crap 16 T3/day? Wouldn't that cause liver damage? I'm sorry for your situation

[@gregmurdoch3264]

@frej__ yes, my liver is in terrible shape, but I don't have options right now. Luckily livers can recover.

[@GadsdenGal]

As a Canadian, I am beyond tired of all our dollars and resources going outside of our country. Canadians are not a debit machine for the planet, as much as our Prime Minister seems to think we are!

[@julienielsen4462]

That is sad.

[@xokathleen]

How about they just regulate their own country's drug prices??

[@thereishope3867]

Somebody is paying for that, guess who is

[@eliasphiniotis]

How can this be ?

[@m.a.p.g.]

This is not good, it’s a scary concept.

[@user-rl5lt1vx2o]

It’s time for the US to negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers, not Canadians.

[@paulfoley9370]

The US model of drug price negotiation isn't a "free market" model. A free market wouldn't have copyrights, as that is government interference. If the government is protecting a company's intellectual property, then I see no logical inconsistency in allowing said government from negotiating with the company for products for its citizens.

[@TheBHAitken]

I thought it was illegal to ship our medications south of the border, especially in quantity because we had placed the price caps in Canada. Some sort of trade agreement stated that the drugs could not be sold out of country or something like that? I heard about Florida and thought that it was just going to be struck down from some agreement somewhere, and now I hear that it is now eight states? Well aside from some generics the majority of our medications still come from the States, so maybe they should start looking at their own laws.

[@whiskybrush3219]

IF we were to expand the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector I could see this making sense. At our current rate, this is anything but comforting.

[@Viennery]

It’ll be harder to negotiate prices as a “single payer” if the US is acting as another payer

[@zerospace101]

Why the hell is there a covid tag on the video??

[@sealunis]

Ozempic is still in low stock since October where I'm at in Canada!

[@justsayin5609]

And where you used to be able to get a month's supply on a refill, it is now weekly!

[@sweenie58]

What about fentinol?

[@hello_elco]

If I was a Canadian I would be very pissed off- to put it mildly :)

[@slowjamsliver7006]

It's crazy how "I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help" has crippled the US people's ability to control the actions of its own government. The US people elect representatives in democracy to represent them. The government if you decide that is what it is there to do. Canada isn't prefect, but in the US believing that their own government is their enemy they have let it serve people who have no interest in the well being of the US people.

[@markstevens1729]

The heart of rebellion encouraged in Americans has roots going back to the Mayflower. The so-called Pilgrims were exiled for religious beliefs not tolerated by the British state. That “government is our enemy” belief came with them and is energized anew every day in the US.

[@slowjamsliver7006]

@@markstevens1729 No offense, I fail to see any rebellion of any sort. More an inactive compliance.

[@SeasoningTheObese]

Americans happily vote in tyrannical warmongers so often, that when Trump somehow won, they got confused at having lower taxes, no new wars, and more freedoms, that they lashed out and voted in another tyrannical warmonger.

[@midcenturymoldy]

8:31 Jack Kevorkian??? Interesting choice for a stock photo.

[@teleportrobin]

What about the Canadians who need them? Don't export, Canada first.

[@Cindy_A0]

No way!

[@shangtiwu]

Therapy

[@realtalk6195]

Why is the audio volume so low??

[@damnimloomin]

I mean i know im not but I WISH i could my Generic Vimpat is between 130-1080 A MONTH or its 19.99 a month for name brand 😭 the reality is we dont even need Canada’s supply we just need to allow price regulation 🙄

[@glopintok]

Just don’t sell it then

[@AhhhSukeSuke]

This should not be allowed!

[@janthescrub]

wtf? who in canada agreed to this?

[@johnwang9914]

Wasn't there a city or rather town in Florida that asked to join Canada back in the 80's or 90's. It should be pointed out to Florida (at least to it's public) that as Canada's negotiated share of drugs is based on our population that they should join Canada if they want such pricing. Mind you, I don't think Canada would want Florida in terms of it's politics but it is a favourite retirement destination for eastern Canadians. Florida would likely not be allowed to join Canada but perhaps there could be some agreement requiring them to meet some of Canada's standards such as medical care. Call it a membership in the negotiation for pricing with the drug manufacturers just like how in the US there are already memberships for bulk drug pricing (which is often mistaken and even misrepresented as an insurance of sorts for the uninsured) and also memberships for pet health routine maintenance that are often mistaken by the public as pet medical insurance which it is not.

[@lindamarsh6711]

Now Canada is experiencing a shortage of pain killers like statex

[@darx6933]

Eyes wide shut.....

[@Mike-or3ry]

Gee I wonder who patented most of the drugs we use & who supplies us ?

[@BeeRich33]

Nobody in here will understand that. CBC, remember.

[@billrichards1965]

I'm so glad and lucky to be Australian where the price mark-ups on prescription medication isn't anywhere near as bad as in Canada or the USA. We also have an annual limit on the amount you spend on prescription medication. As I am on a Disability Pension, no single script costs me more that AU$6.80 with an annual limit of $480, then the medication is free! With the amount of medication I've been prescribed, I hit the limit in 5 months (during May each year.)

[@johngraham4027]

Use export controls

[@davidweum]

I learned today i cant get a refill og my Trulicity. My brothet cant get his refill of Ozempic.

[@adamwatson6916]

I have had heard U.S polticians say that U.S drug companies shouldn't be allowed to Sell to Canada unless we pay the American price. Commentators like Ben Shapiro want Canada to lose the ability to negotiate for Cheaper drugs and any other country.

[@BeeRich33]

Then those companies would leave the US. The companies are completely in charge here. You need to see that.

[@MM-xg2td]

The government already said they would monitor the drug supplies in Canada.

[@iloveplayingpr]

The big reason why medicine is expensive in the US is because there are powerful entities that wants to keep it that way.

[@acar7421]

Ozempic wasn’t just short In BC, it was short across Canada. And it still is….it’s been effected the last three months.

[@ElectroMotoko]

As a British person living in Canada, I see America puliing Canada pants down and doing its thing, sadness.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Won’t the new process put into law under USA Inflation Reduction Act drive down the out of pocket drug costs without this Canadian work around?

[@nickspurr5647]

Why does the music continue playing so loudly when Andrew is speaking? Find a better balance or fade it out completely.

[@aliancemd]

Could of been worse, be happy you don’t have huge reserves of oil, that could of ended worse

[@Nayukhuut]

Heh, we actually do. It is just being largely ignored because it is a bit of a pain to get at and ship out. Canada is actually third in the world for oil reserves.

[@user-hb2gx1hi8b]

Does "3x cheaper" mean one third the price? Why don't they just say that?

[@static_Tricolor_camry]

My workplace covers half of the cost for medications. I'm located in Ontario Canada.

[@BeeRich33]

That's still a cost. A calculated cost by your company, who probably has lots of statistics on a lot of this.

[@static_Tricolor_camry]

@@BeeRich33 No I pay no more than $30 for medication. But it's not medicine that I take daily, it's prescribed to me temporarily if I have an infection, or a medical problem.

[@purple7vi0let]

Pillage is a strong word especially considering that perhaps our government has no (?) guardrails in place…?!