[Garth Tater]

Well, if you want to take an alternative product manufactured abroad under who knows what sort of quality controls, then go for it.

Would if I could, but I can't because it is against the law. Best damn law the pharmaceutical industry's lobbyists and campaign contributions can buy.

And Yadent's point was that reimportation of US manufactured drugs and medical devices are not allowed. Why is that? If the drug or device was already manufactured here, under FDA scrutiny and regulation, why can it not be purchased in, say, Canada or Mexico at the MUCH lower price there and shipped to your home here? Why? Because that would seriously cut into Big Pharma's profits. It has NOTHING to do with the safety of the drug or the device.

[Mase]

Why? Because that would seriously cut into Big Pharma's profits. It has NOTHING to do with the safety of the drug or the device.

The counterfeit drug industry is a $200 billion a year business, and it is estimated that 10% of all drugs are counterfeit. And yes, many of the drugs that are re-imported into the US are counterfeit. So that's reason #1.

The other reason it's illegal is because countries like Canada impose price controls on American manufacturers and threaten their patents if they don't what they're told. Most people who want to buy re-imported drugs that government "negotiated" at the point of a gun don't realize that they are benefiting from socialism. Many don't care as long as they get the lower cost. To hell with everyone else. Others, however, do care because they know that without profit, there is no innovation.

I'd like to see my kids live in a world where drug resistant bacteria, cancer, Parkinsons, Malaria, MS, MD, ALS and on and on are no longer a threat. The sure way to kill that dream is to control the profits of the pharmaceutical industry.