I discovered something interesting RE US prescription drug prices.

[UdoKier]

I occasionally have severe sinus congestion, and when it's bad, I've been prescribed Flonase, a corticosteroid nasal spray that works wonders. There are several other trade names for similar drugs marketed here in the US, and they all generally run about $110 for a 120 spray bottle (about a 1~2 month supply), even online. But after some research, I found that the EXACT SAME DRUG, manufactured by the EXACT SAME COMPANY is available online in the UK and New Zealand, marketed under the name Flixonase, but the same amount costs only $28, including shipping!

Are we in the US richer than Britons or New Zealanders? Why are these companies gouging us so badly? I really don't get it. This just pisses me off so much.

I was able to buy this stuff here in the states in the mid 90s for about $40. What's with the massive inflation?

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. I have an asthma inhaler that's $125 here

$35 in Mexico....same damn thing

[Cleita]

10. That's why I don't get an inhaler anymore.

I have been able to control my asthma with coffee, and I keep my fingers crossed that there is a Starbucks or something similar close by every time I feel an asthma attack coming on.

[mhr]

2. It's Called Fleecing The People Who Are Fat, Dumb, And Happy

Or too stupid to know better.

In reality, I think part of the problem is conditioning. Americans are so used to hearing that prices go up that they no longer question these things. The corporations take advantage of this complacency to fleece the sheeple.

[demosincebirth]

4. I wonder if the the right wingers are happy being fleeced by the drug

companies? I guess they must, they love bush.

[Sparkle]

3. They are scamming us.

And we're not outraged enough to do anything about it. But there are a lot of us that don't know about this stuff. If only our elected leaders would look out for its constituents every now and then, we wouldn't be in this predicament.

[mhr]

6. Seems They Are Looking Out For Their Constituents - Big Business

The mistake we make is still believing that we are constituents.

[JaneDoughnut]

5. The only politician I saw address this recently

in plain language was - gasp! - David Vitter. The Democratic party has not done any more regarding this issue than the Republican party.

[NC Beach Girl]

7. according to my Canadian pal...

It has something to do with laws in various countries that prohibit a markup over a certain percentage on prescription drugs. The U.S. doesn't protect it's people from gouging by drugmakers like other places do.

I asked the same questions you did when I realized the huge price differences in U.S. and Canadian drugs.

[Robbien]

8. The US is the only country which does not limit profit margins on drugs

So when US drug companies sell their drugs to other nations they are regulated on how much over cost they may charge.

[Cleita]

9. You are paying for every adverstisement for these drugs that

you see on TV and magazines. There really is no need to promote these drugs to anyone but the doctors in medical journals and salesmen who give them samples to try, but this is what you are paying for. You are also paying for yachts, penthouses, vacations in the south of France and hookers for the top executives of these pharma companies. Lastly, you are paying for the distribution of profits that stockholders get every quarter on these for profit companies.