So it’s ok to import drugs from Canada sometimes.
The Mark Hosler talk last night was great, he showed many short films that have been made for their old music, and gave a good (if abbreviated) history of Negativland. I’m really, really glad I went.
I believe the debate is about “re-importation†which is the import of American made drugs back into the US sold to Canada under Canadian price controls. I fail to see why liberals who are worried about the American worker (those people who work in the pharmaceutical industry) want to import price controlled drugs into the US. It is the economic equivalent of putting price controls on the drugs in the first place which will hurt the drug industry in every regard. If ever their was a case of unfair trade it is this. Additionally, the concerns the FDA has about sourcing and counterfeiting don’t apply in this case since the flu vaccine is being manufactured at an FDA approved site in Canada and shipped directly to distribution in the US. No one has ever stopped Canadian drug companies from selling FDA approved drugs in the US.
I should add that the flu vaccine is price controlled and that is why their is a shortage. No one can make money at it unless they are the near exclusive supplier that is contracted by the US. So comparing this to other drug products is apples and oranges.
But the argument used against foreign importation is always safety and counterfeiting, not unfair trade. Why is that argument used? Because it is easier than trying to explain the real reasons reimporation is a bad idea.
To a very large degree yes. Although congressman have spoken on the economics on CNBC and in places like the Finiancial Times.
I also think there is a lot less political risk using the safety excuse. If politicians used the economics as an reason it is very likely the their opponents would label them as defending corporate greed over cheaper drugs for Americans even though the economics of the industries is inescapably linked to the economics of its employees.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why politicians are worthless.
price controls
But there is no reason to stop consumers from taking advantage of those price controls. The government shouldn’t stop people from buying the cheapest drugs they can.
The real problem is the Canadian price controls. If the drug companies don’t want Candadians and some Americans buying drugs so cheaply, they can simply stop selling them in price controlled countries.
Making someone a criminal for seeking out cheap goods is absurd.
It would be like if I ran a store selling televisions for a dollar each, then I asked the government to arrest anyone who bought my televisions.
Re: price controls
If you can find one case where a little old lady was arrested for buying her prescription from Canada I would be amazed.
And if you imported TVs into the US and sold them for a $1 you could be sued for violating anti-dumping laws.
Fact is if your case involved indigenous production and sales you would be correct but we are talking about international trade which has every right to be regulated to protect US economic interests. Same way other countries ban and tariff for a whole slew of reasons.