| Some generic drugs becomming hard to find |
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| Local Content - Editorial |
| Written by production |
| Wednesday, 24 February 2010 20:29 |
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While provincial governments in Canada seem to have the best of intention in reducing the price citizens pay for generic drugs by cutting the percentage the companies can make you pay, there may be an unwanted side effect because of the legislated changes. First, most locals are aware that the Alberta government has put the cart before the horse, so to speak, by announcing cuts without having a concrete plan in place to reimburse pharmacies for the many other services they provide, thereby ensuring these businesses thrive. The problem, if not solved, will devastate rural pharmacies. However, another problem may be the disappearance of many generic drugs. Already some pharmacists are reporting that some generic drugs are hard, if not impossible, to find. Doctors are being forced to prescribe other drugs in their place. Whether this is because generic companies have been forced to slice their profit margins remains to be seen, however it may be one of the issues they are facing. Another issue is brand name drug companies are forming subsidiary generic companies which take over producing the brand drug once the patent on it expires. This is basically like a top-end car manufacturer also producing a less expensive brand of its own product. The outcome of this is obvious, even to those of us who are not among the Donald Trump’s of this world. If, in time, the only company making these drugs are actually one and the same, then they will have a stranglehold on the product and, eventually, be able to charge whatever they like. This is bound to have a detrimental effect on our health care budgets. Most seniors know they are encouraged by companies like Blue Cross to purchase generic drugs whenever they can. This saves governments hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. If one or two companies wind up with a stranglehold on all drugs and can, therefor, set whatever price they like, those savings will be gone quicker than ice cream cake at a five-year old’s birthday party. Our government needs to be in close communication with representatives from both rural and urban pharmacies so it can foresee and, hopefully, avoid some of these future pratfalls. All of us want to pay less for generic drugs, but first not at the expense of rural pharmacies, and second not if the eventual outcome means there is no more fair competition in the marketplace because, should that happen, we will all lose in the end and the skyrocketing health budget will continue it’s upward spiral. |