Drugs from Canada safe, Schweitzer representative says

[Ediacara]

Drugs from Canada safe, Schweitzer representative says

By JIM GRANSBERY
Of The Gazette Staff

The re-importation of prescription drugs has been done safely in Europe for 20 years and can be done safely in the United States, a marketing vice president for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said Tuesday.

Dr. Peter Rost prefaced his remarks at the Senior Center in South Billings with a disclaimer that "I do not in any form represent Pfizer. I am here as a private citizen."

Nevertheless, Rost related his experience as a Pfizer marketer in Europe where a competitive importation atmosphere forced down prices for his company's products. However, the company recovered with doubled sales in three years, he said.

"The free market works," he said.

Rost said arguments that re-imported drugs are unsafe are dishonest and an industry tactic to keep prices high. He appeared in Billings on behalf of Democratic candidate for governor Brian Schweitzer.

More at the Billings Gazette

[Richardo]

1. As of now, it's 'former marketing vice president'

Talk about going off the reservation!

[asjr]

2. But this could work in Pfizer's favor. Whoever heard of a pharm

company coming out with the truth? It could boost their sales as some would more likely use their meds. Heavens to Betsy,they could become known as the "compassionate" pharmacy.

[oneighty]

3. Excepting

Excepting of course the flu vaccine mis-made England.

That did not turn out very well.

180

[asjr]

4. Maybe on purpose?

[AVID]

5. He wouldn't be saying this if was still employed by Pfizer!

I was a drug rep with Pfizer for three years - quit this summer to campaign for Kerry and Schweitzer in MT.

The Corporate word - Pfizer policy statement is that importation is dangerous, can kill, and "drugs may even come from Iraq and Iran!!!" per email from company Pres Hank McKinnel.

He is brave to say this, and lucky not to be with Pfizer

[tuvor]

6. NOW will you guys stop calling us a third world?!

[VegasWolf]

12. Sorry, not till you guys get electricity & telephones <\teasing>

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[displacedtexan]

7. More News From The Land Of DUH!

I say, "DUH!"

This is the single most absurd POS argument against not price-gouging people that I have ever witnessed in my life!

Canada should be screaming bloody murder over this insult!

[Hand]

8. Canada isn't screaming...

...and isn't insulted, either. More like a pitying sigh and a shake of the head: "There he goes again, eh? Like some back bacon with your eggs? How about some poutine?"

:D

[daleo]

9. I believe Health Canada and the FDA work closely together

On issues of drug safety, etc. I am pretty sure they use essentially the same protocols for clinical trials, inspection of manufacturing facilities, importation from third countries, etc. So, if drugs from Canada can be unsafe, it stands to reason that drugs bought within the U.S. can be equally so.

[malachi]

10. Am I missing something here? Doesn't re-importation mean

that the drugs are coming back to the US after they have been sent to Canada from the US? They have to be safe or the FDA is lying to us and we know that they wouldn't do that, would they?

[havocmom]

11. Big Pharm wants you to believe drugs get cooties while in Canada

And you don't want cooties! Booga booga! Be afraid!

Yeah, right, afraid of AMERICAN CORPORATIONS!

[Hand]

13. The FDA's not lying...

Chimpy is!!!

:grr:

[Lisa]

14. I'm on Canadian meds now ...

Pulled a back muscle last night, and walked (gingerly) to the neighbourhood pharmacy, in my BC city. I got the house brand of over-the-counter painkillers, made in Montreal. The pharmacist said it's identical to the brand-name stuff, but half the price.

I'm still alive, and no weird side-effects so far. I'll let you guys know if anything happens!

[CHIMO]

15. Transplanted Canadian heads home for medicine

New York—Paul Smith left Canada for California two decades ago. He wouldn't dream of coming back to Montreal because of "all that sleet and snow." He voted for George W. Bush. He's now an American.

Still, there's one big problem in this Canadian doctor's American dream.

Buying drugs in his adopted home of Huntington Beach, where he boasts the California sun shines something like 340 days a year, is draining his bank account and cutting into his standard of living. So he's now undecided about giving the U.S. president another term, another sign of how the American health-care crisis might be the sleeper issue in this race.

"If I didn't buy my drugs in Canada, I'd be spending more than $20,000 (U.S.) a year just for medicine," said the retired gynecologist-obstetrician, who acknowledges he's hardly a member of the United States' poor. "My wife and I used to take two foreign trips a year. Now we don't take any."



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