Why are drugs cheaper in Canada (and elsewhere)?

My Brain

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Drugs for which the patent still is in effect in Canada are no cheaper here than they are in the USA.

That's because the Canadian government sets prices for drugs in Canada. That's why fewer drugs are available. Even fewer if you don't have private insurance.

[Brilliant]

You're missing the forest for the trees. Yes, drugs ARE cheaper in Canada than the US, and it is because they have the foresight to pass the cost of development onto the US consumer by regulating their prices--in effect watering down the patent protection by saying, "OK, we'll let you have a monopoly on this drug, but you've got to charge what we say you can charge."

In effect, this is a trade war. The Canadians are free riders on the American consumer. The American consumer is paying the freight. If the American consumer did not pay more, then the drug companies would not be able to develop these drugs. But why should the American consumer bear all the cost? The Canadian consumer is getting the benefit for free.

My suggestion is that we tell the drug companies that they can't sell their drugs in this country for more than they charge in Canada and other countries. That would force them to either cut their prices here, increase them overseas, or stop selling their drugs overseas. And that would put pressure on Canada and other countries to relax their price controls and pay their fair share.