It's true, why produce something at a loss or if you don't make enough money at it. The Obama administration badmouths the pharmaceutical administration (as they do for anything and anybody in their efforts to get votes). With Obamacare, the incentive to produce is taken away. Also, with the over 5000 regulations Obama and the democratic congress have implemented, it has choked job growth. Our country is in a downward spiral. Maybe that is what Obama wants. Google Cloward Piven strategy. Remember, Michelle said there would be pain in the change. Look at the implosion of Europe--too many handouts and not enough production. Our housing crisis was caused by the do good of the Clinton administration mandating banks give home loans to unqualified buyers without a down payment. Where did that get us?

The problem exists because the United States is the only industrialized country that has a profit driven health care system.

bayleyuf. I wish you could have expanded on that comment. It is interesting that a shortage is considered to exist when an existing drug is unavailable. The "holy grail" of the pharmaceutical industry remains the new medication, covered by patent law, that meets a large need. The benevolent development of medication to help a substantial problem that afflicts few people has been a failing of our medical system for a very long time.

Part of this problem may trace to simple logistics. The number of medications proliferates and matching production to demand becomes far more complicated. Generic manufacturers do not coordinate their production schedules to the best of my knowledge. Off-shoring production introduces another complication. Where off-shoring introduces health damaging contamination the problem grows larger.

In one way or another many people have found access to medical treatment unavailable for many years, this isn't a new problem, which is why I wish you could have explained your comment.

If you don't have a profit driven healthcare, you can't pay salaries of nurses and doctors, you can't order drugs or new equipment for the saving of lives. You can see examples of non-profit driven healthcare in the deaths of a couple of hundred seniors in the UK a couple of years ago, because the healthcare workers went on vacation and the elderly people got sick and died for lack of seeing doctors. You can see examples of non-profit healthcare systems in the Canadian baby who was condemned to die because it might cost the government a few more dollars to try some life-saving measure, so his dad went on the news and pleaded with the United States to save his son's life. He was critical, but his parents want just a little longer with him. We can see examples of non-profit healthcare in Africa in tents...only given after long treks to cities, with babies dying alongside the roads on the way there. Do we really want that here?

Amen, Joe Rad...

MAW. I believe you are partially correct but the economy tanked before Obama's election. If spending alone could solve the problem the US would have far better health care. Instead we trail many nations that spend less and achieve better results. Also, please recall that it was the republicans who blocked re-importation of prescription medication from Canada, seemingly a free market solution, based on the [claimed] failure of Canada to properly regulate quality. Must we progress to medical care where each remedy is initiated with a scheduler holding their hand out as they say "your money or your life"?

sprything. Do you understand that introducing monopoly power results in misallocation of resources? Free market competition implies low barriers to entrance, an assumption that is invalidated by patents and professional certification demanding many years and much investment. This is not as simple as bargaining at a garage sale.

The economy tanked because of the Community Revitalization Act signed by Clinton. What that law said was that people of color were being redlined, which means because of their color they were not being shown the more expensive homes for purchase. Never mind that the incomes on these people wouldn't allow them to purchase such homes, so the realtors were actually showiing them what they could afford.

That law forced banks and financial institutions to give loans to people who could not afford them, whether or not they could afford them...to find a way to give those people what he called the American dream. He was a hero, right?

Well, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and Barney Frank and his cohorts, paid millions of dollars to Democrat and Rino Senators to turn a blind eye as those loans were created and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac took those unsecured loans and converted them into securities, that traded on the open market. Banks and financial institutes created balloon payment loans, loans that went up as the interest rates climbed, and they tried to recoup most of their money up front..unsuccessfully. And people knew when they were buying the houses that they couldn't afford them, but they took and chance and bought them anyway.

Clinton and the democrats were pretty smart. They knew that eventually somebody was going to have to pay the piper. So none of this was publicized for at least two years before Clinton left office. And most of those loans were not due until after he would have left office. This was a little package left for George Bush to have to salvage. But only the democrats and Bill Clinton knew just how bad it was. And nobody has taken any action against them at all.

President Bush couldn't possibly have know how bad it was until it was already so bad that people were simply leaving their homes and not paying anything. And the securities and bonds created by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were coming due, and not worth the paper they were written on. But it was the democrats and Bill Clinton who created everything that has happened in our housing market and the instability of our financials systems...not that Congress didn't help with their spending sprees.

Once again, we have a President who doesn't want anything to come due until either he's been elected for a lame duck session and he won't care, or he's out of office and forgiven by the next President for any wrongdoing. He's made as much mischief as he can already, and we're all paying for it. This drug situation didn't happen under anyone else except him...he's simply got his hand in everything in our system. He wants control...and we've allowed it.

LETS JUST KEEP REGULATING MORE, THAT'LL FIX IT!

Most of you Liberal Progressives just love to see government stick it to those mean and nasty "fat cat" corporations. Most people don't know the time and cost just to bring a drug to market. The regulatory jungle is incredible. The time from a research teams evaluation to publication can range between 18-36 months. The average time to bring a drug through the pre-clinical trials and then phases I-III is over 90 months (7 1/2 years). Then the average time for FDA approval is approximately 13 months. The average cost in 2005, probably higher now, is over $800 MILLION Dollars. That year drug companies spent nearly $40 BILLION Dollars on R&D.

Remember, this is just to bring the drug to market. This does not mean the drug will be successful or even profitable. Not every drug is as successful or widely used as Viagra. Competition between pharmaceutical companies in all areas from antibiotics to cancer drugs is intense and overlaps occur where there are multiple drugs coming to market decreasing the companies projected profits. These are risks the companies take and rightfully should be rewarded on the free-market.

The biggest obstacle for drug development, and even drug maintenance, is the regulatory morass. Obviously some degree of oversight is needed but our system is crippled by it most of the time. Tens of thousands of pages of rules regulations and paperwork reduce the amount of time the companies can be creating drugs rather than satisfying the redundancy of a massive bureuacracy. Most drugs can be patented for about 20 years. However, this time is usually from the very early stages of product development in the pipeline. The company makes no profits on the patent until final FDA approval which usually cuts the profitability time by more than half.

Generics are a solution but they are fraught with obstacles also. Patent infringement litigation times can be years. Waiting for the FDA to approve their process can take months. The first generic company only has a 6 month window of exclusivity before other companies can begin production. The FTC is currently trying to open the generic market up faster.

Regulations need to be evaluated and reformed in many areas of the system. The Obama administrations recent claim that they are reducing the regulatory burden by tens of MILLIONS of dollars is nowhere enough. George Bush himself added over $60 Billion dollars worth of regulations. Cass Sunstein, Obama's regulatory Czar, has already added $39 Billion and $14 Billion more are in development. These DO NOT include the morass of new regulations and laws soon to come pouring in from Obamacare.

Just one example of the dysfunction of a massive bureaucracy is that since the 1970's milk, yes good old milk, has been defined as an "oil". because of this dairy farmers have been subjected to the same regulations for oil spills.

This Wednesday, during Obama's campaign tour he was confronted by a farmer concerned about “more rules and regulations”, including those regarding dust, noise and water runoff, that he heard would negatively affect his business. Obama's response was, "Contact the USDA, talk to them directly. Find out what it is that you’re concerned about.”

A reporter from POLITICO took the advice and called the USDA. Over 2 days and 9 phone calls the reporter was transferred to 7 different agencies and departments. He called the USDA’s main media relations department finally, based in Washington. The reporter received this e-mail response:

“Secretary Vilsack continues to work closely with members of the Cabinet to help them engage with the agricultural community to ensure that we are separating fact from fiction on regulations because the administration is committed to providing greater certainty for farmers and ranchers. Because the question that was posed did not fall within USDA jurisdiction, it does not provide a fair representation of USDA’s robust efforts to get the right information to our producers throughout the country."

Irony or idiocy?

I'll let you decide.

MarkMich...Okay...I've decided....I'll buy all my prescription drugs from any other country of the world but the US. Why would I spend money and go bankrupt buying US drugs when they are half the cost everywhere else for the same and in a lot of cases, better drugs?

Whine about the cost to bring drugs to market when the US taxpayer subsidizes their R&D to make the drugs in the first place? When the US taxpayer fills in gaps for all of those tax write offs, tax credits and exemptions Big Pharma doesn't pay and we do? Twice...as consumers and taxpayers. Idiocy or lunacy?

Healthcare in the US is the biggest rip off because Big HMOs and Big Pharma know they can hold every man, woman and child in the US hostage. This is why regulations are sorely needed. But more so, not just more regulations but making regulations bite them in their asses so they stop gouging consumers.

Why is the same antibiotic in the US ten times more than in any other country?

The time has come to cut these fools off at the pass. Yes, we need prescription drugs for serious illnesses. No, we don't need Big Pharma CEOs earning hundred million dollar salaries, getting perks their salaries should pay for and then raking the rest of us over the coals.

That's not capitalism. That's theft. How else did that CEO of Healthcare South help himself to the profits off the backs of the sick?

Enough is enough. These American Aristocrat CEOs need to be taken down a bunch of pegs so they come back down to earth before the rest of the country is nothing more than a serfdom to Big Pharma and HMOs.

this is interesting...can hardly wait to see just how now prices will be allowed to go.

This is what we can expect if we do not regulate production for life saving medicine. Weather the drug companies can make millions from the drugs or not!

Sure, let corporations "self regulate" and let prices go where they may! THIS will be the result of a policy like that. Price manipulation.

We can NOT allow drug companies to use measures like this to regulate supplies and prices!

spewinstew...When you look at it right, without government regulations over business what do we get? More Madoffing? Corporations do not have the right to operate in this country without abiding to its laws that protect and keep Americans safe. If they can't abide by our laws, shut them down.

The idea that a government has no right to tell a business how to do business is 100% pure BS right out of the Corporate America policy book. They don't want to pay taxes, the expenses of their businesses get dumped on taxpayers, consumers and employees and then they want carte blanche to do as they damn well please?

Not when they use 100 times the infrastructure and government services than the average American taxpayer ever will in a lifetime.

I urge all the outraged posters on this board to pool their resources and open up a new pharmaceutical plant and solve the problem, as well as sell the drugs at a huge discount under cost. There you go, problem solved. <sarcasm>

Oh, you can't or won't? Oh well, I guess the pharma companies, FOR PROFIT capitalist commercial endeavors who have to invest $100's of millions of dollars to develop drugs, most of which fail to get to market, and build large heavily regulated plants to produce them, get to pick and choose. Don't like it? Again, go ahead and open up your own facilities, and then give the product away.

Or, maybe we can let Fannie, Freddie, the Post Office, TSA, or any of the other wonderful incompetent gov't agencies take them over and run them.

norm903...Come off it. In my state, hundreds of small pharmaceutical companies were bought by those so-called martyrs who had to spend hundreds of millions to manufacture an aspirin they now charge 20 cent a pop for.

So..you want to try and make the claim that Big Pharma isn't more interested in swallowing up all of those small competitors for yet another venture capitalist feeding frenzy?

Google Cloward Piven strategy.

google tinfoil hat

norm903,

So you agree that the drug companies should be allowed to manipulate supplies to control prices?
Is that how you think corporate America should be allowed to operate?

Do you also feel that corporations are being taxed too much?

spewinstew...If you knew just how close Corporate America is to collapse as a result of their greed and stupidity, you'd almost feel sorry for them as you watch them all fall down the chasm of desperation.

Prediction: By the end of this decade, there were be far fewer American Corporations and a whole lot more small businesses. Why? A natural emanation of a nation fed up being hostages of the American Aristocracy.

In the US the way we fight back is to circumvent their greedheaded machinations of grandeur and glory. My guess is by December 12 of this year, these Masters of the Universe will be dethroned big time.

markmich ,

I think that you have some incorrect information about those drug companies! You're numbers are very inflated! Granted they spend plenty of money on R&D but not as much as you said.

• The drug industry’s claim that R&D costs total $500 million for each new drug (including failures) is highly misleading. Extrapolated from an often-misunderstood 1991 study by economist Joseph DiMasi, the $500 million figure includes significant expenses that are tax deductible and unrealistic scenarios of risks.

• The actual after-tax cash outlay – or what drug companies really spend on R&D – for each new drug (including failures) according to the DiMasi study is approximately $110 million. (That’s in year 2000 dollars, based on data provided by drug companies.) (See Section I)

• A simpler measure – also derived from data provided by the industry – suggests that after-tax R&D costs ranged from $57 million to $71 million for the average new drug brought to market in the 1990s, including failures. (See Section II)

It goes on to dispell most of the myths you posted above.

You can read the whole article here:

sprytling - you are an idiot. Conservatives will lie about anything when they are to blame.

The CRA was signed into law by Carter in 1977. This was enacted due to the fact that banks were discriminating against certain sections of the community based on income levels. So if a profitable business wanted to start businesses in these areas - banks would deny them loans. This law was designed to allow for sound, safe and profitable loans for FDIC insured banks in these redlined areas.

Since these CRA loans are regulated, they require a significant of oversight by the bank which have resulted in fewer defaults when compared to regular loans.

During the 2008 CDS/financial/housing collapse, the vast majority of the subprime loans came from lenders not regulated by the CRA. Couple that with the fact that the majority of the CRA-regulated lender's subprime lending were not CRA loans, you are left with an even smaller fraction.

So the CRA did not have a negative impact on the 2008 financial crisis.

just remember that Big Business has no accountability to America - the government does. Yet Conservatives believe the reverse.

ewent

When the US taxpayer fills in gaps for all of those tax write offs, tax credits and exemptions Big Pharma doesn't pay and we do?

OK. Let me ask you this. Our tax code is currently 71,684 +/- pages long. We have over 1,200 different forms to prepare our taxes, personal and corporate. Do you honestly believe the same politicians who have been creating this mountain of bureaucracy will eliminate all the existing and potential loopholes in this morass of paperwork?

Remember those kids we made fun of in high school, the geeks, with their pocket protectors and slide rules (I could NEVER figure those damn things out) that nobody even knew their names? Many of them ended up at MIT, Haaahvad, Wharton's and U. C. Berkley. Guess who hires them? Washington? Nope, we can't afford what they're worth. They get a "Go directly to Wall Street/Banks/Corporations, Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200", card. They get paid millions to find new and better loopholes that the establishment leaders in BOTH parties leave for them to find. This is the problem. Wall Street, banks and the corporations get the geek's, we get Timmy Geithner and Barrack Obama.

Don't you find it peculiar that these corporations and Wall Street have been AVOIDING (not EVADING, because the tax code allows them to use these loopholes, they're not doing anything illegal) to pay taxes? None of the CEO's or even their CFO's or COO's has ever gone to jail. Hell, we had a Congressional hearing in February of 2009 that was just another "Bread and Circus" moment for our corrupt government and the banking cartels it has supported since the inception of the Federal Reserve and Fractional Reserve banking began. JP Morgan's CEO Jamie Dimon, told Congress they were lending lots of money. Yes, they were. They were lending it to Golden Sacks CEO Lloyd Blankenfein. They sure as hell weren't and still AREN'T lending to the public or small businesses. Especially now with the massive regulations Dodd-Frank is imposing, not on the "Too Big To Fail" multinational banks, but on the small banks.

The same banks, lending institutions and mortgage companies have created massive roadblocks to borrowers as a result of what THEY CAUSED! The TBTF banks are doing just fine, thank you. Bonuses are flourishing, foreclosures are humming along at record pace, NINJA loans are still being issued and Robo-Signings are still rampant.

In a true free-market economy there can NEVER be an entity that's “Too Big To Fail”. If it's that big, it's a monopoly. Remember what happened to AT&T, Standard Oil and U.S. steel years ago? Today we have oligopoly's in banking, computers, pharmaceuticals, retail and other industries, yet they survive. Why? Because ALL of our politicians allow it. No one is going to bite the hand that feeds them. If you think Republicans are the only ones involved talk to Jeff Immelt from G.E. Talk to Bill Clinton who passed 9 different legislative and regulatory changes that affected the original CRA that Carter created to prevent redlining.

You can hope and pray all you want that our criminal government will do the right thing. GOOD LUCK! The only way to correct the stranglehold the government, big business and banks hold on us is to totally eliminate the "made to be abused" progressive tax system. As soon as the politicians claim they made some "regulatory" or "tax" changes they'll just add a few hundred new loopholes in the next bill loaded with earmarks that none of us will ever see let alone understand. The banks are laughing at our politicians and at us. The corporations pay billions for their lobbyists to grease the palms of the law creators.

We're told during EVERY election cycle about the Hundreds of Billions of dollars in waste fraud and abuse in Medicare. Two weeks after the elections you won't hear another word about it. The GAO just told us there is between $100-$200 Billion dollars of redundancy in our massive government. Was there a Congressional hearing about either of those problems? We don't need more taxes, we need a better tax system. We don't need more regulations, we need the ones that work enforced. The rest need to be eliminated. We should have never bailed the TBTF banks out. Yes, the impact would have been more severe but a clear and unquestionable warning would have been sent. If you're TBTF and you fail, TOO BAD! I bet the Jamie Dimon's and Lloyd Blankenfein's would have gotten the memo if we had allowed that to happen. Now they just play us for the fools we have allowed ourselves to become.

A free-market economy rewards success and it punishes failure. This is its strongest check-and-balance. We have to eliminate the ridiculous Keynesian mentality and allow real market forces determine our economic growth and commerce it creates. If not, we will just keep getting the same problems that our politicians will promise to keep fixing.

It's time to wake up and say no to big government. If not, don't complain about the results.

ewent and spewinstew: Again, it seems like a great opportunity for you both to invest and get rich in a down market.

Capitalism isn't perfect, but it beats to hell the gov't running private industries. And who said anyone is entitled to these drugs? There was a time when none of them existed until the horrible drug companies invented them, went through the licensing, etc. Go to the alternates or, as was the case before the evil drug companies invented these life saving medications, do nothing and hope for the best.

The drug companies aren't altruistic, nor are they charities. When you work for free, presuming you work, you may elect to give the value of your creativity and labor away if that is your choice. Don't be so generous with the creativity and labor of the productive class.

Considering these are "life saving" drugs, one would think the value of the cure is very high and worth a lot of money. I'm confused, can you help me understand? And please remember, I'm stupid, so type slowly.

Norm. Most hospitals are required to provide treatment without regard to ability to pay when emergency care is required. That is the law.

Capitalism, the system where private ownership investment is allowed a reward is not the item under attack but even Adam Smith in his book "The Wealth of Nations" suggested the occasional need for government ownership where activities deemed socially worthwhile were not profitable as an individual undertaking.

Most hospitals are non-profit organizations allowing them to avoid taxation in return for meeting applicable legal requirements for non-profit status. One of the requirements is that the organizations serve a societal need. Most hospitals choose this status rather than be taxed as a for profit corporation.

Pharmaceutical companies are granted patent protection thus obtaining from the government enforceable monopoly pricing power.

Doctors are licensed by states to practice. Without the license their activity would be illegal. This gives Doctors monopoly pricing power.

Pharmaceutical companies and the AMA are two very large lobbying groups. The pharmaceutical lobby may be the largest of all such groups.

Somehow, in your screed about the virtues of capitalism, evils of government, and absence of a right to life saving treatment you have managed to overlook a benefit the capitalists have located in federal regulation and concurrently forgotten a law passed by the same people who grant all these legal monopolies.

Scott_too: Are you suggesting the gov't should take over the drug companies? If so, you might consider Venezuela as a new place to call home, where over the last ten years has nationalized the oil, cement, banking, and most recently gold production industries.

The drug companies, hospitals, physicians, etc. all follow the current US laws and tax code, so what is the problem here? The purpose of medicine and medical care is to promote quality of life, not immortality. If one wants to embark on that quest, let them do it with their own dime, not mine.

Norm903. No, I favor private ownership for its efficiency. Many drug companies are not U.S. companies so proposing a federal takeover isn't even realistic.

The consumers of pharmaceutical products are ill prepared to bargain for price where the need is life threatening so I don't see a free market solution working in this instance.

Health care is in many ways granted monopoly power to allow corporations and individuals to recover the very high cost of participation. Regulating monopolies is very common practice and I believe the health care industry should be regulated.

I work in private industry as a financial controller. The escalating cost of health care is a major threat to our ability to compete in a global economy. The cost of insurance for one employee can exceed the cost of an employee in other countries. The global economy doesn't really care about the ongoing pi$$ing match between U.S. liberals and conservatives. How many years of double digit medical care increases does it take to make us realize we have a problem?

We need to copy something that works well elsewhere or have a medical Manhattan project. I would favor doing so before we become a third world cheap labor sweat shop. I do favor national health care insurance financed by a national sales tax. Implementation without major disruption is the difficult step. Insurance companies can administer the plan just as they do with Medicare.

Scott_too: Rationing health care is the only way out. Let the market bear what the market will bear. Too much is spent on frivilous care; if people had to pay they wouldn't use but a fraction of what they think they are getting for free, but what is in reality bankrupting your company and our nation.

At least raise the deductible to $100 per visit, that would cut down on the visits to the doctor, and raise the same for prescriptions. You hear about folks complaining about the cost of their 14 medications...14 medications, cut me a break!

I think everyone is missing a key point. The majority of the drugs in shortage are generics. Generics are not manufactured by the large pharma companies you all hate on. They are manufactured by generics manufacturers. As the article stated, there has been significant consolidation in the generic manufacturing industry. So penalizing The Man with removal of patents, etc will really not fix the problem, since most of the drugs in short supply are OFF PATENT PROTECTION.

norm903: You're obviously very young. I happen to be one of those people on 14 medications. Do you think I want to need them? I have high blood pressure, diabetes, and several different kinds of arthritis. I pay for insurance that pays for my prescriptions, or I would be dead by now. But then youngsters like you don't care about that. Wait! There may come a time when you depend on those 14 different kinds of medicine. Let's see what your opinion is about medical care rationing and prescription rationing then.

yeah sprytling, you don't give a spit as long as you get your SS and medicare.

the rest of us Americans can just go burn for the sake of right-wing billionaire tax breaks as long as you get yours and you keep drinking the Koch kool-aid that will impoverish every American except the top.

look around, corporations are making record profits, and sitting on mountains of cash. what are they doing with that cash? investing in new products like the right-wing mantra claims? no, they are buying out their competition instead and laying off even more Americans. the "tax-cuts and deregulation equals jobs" mantra is a proven failure. all that happens is the wealthiest ship our jobs overseas and then demand that we work for the same wage as the Chinese.

the "free-market" that you spew is nothing but a serfdom hell for 99.9% of us

what is even more amusing/sickening are the so-called christian in name only slobs that worship those billionaires and spit on the poor. shows where their true morality lies.

so go right ahead and worship the market manipulators and their paid media whores (beck, rush, etc.)

Abbott CEO, Miles White made $20,023,899 in salary, bonus and stocks last year.

Eli Lily CEO, John Lechleiter made $12,747,000. in salary, bonus and stocks last year.

I guess my posts really threaten someone because they are being collapsed. That's alright I'll just post again in 3 more places for each being taken down.

This is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS. This is what corporate America is all about today....taking us HOSTAGE. This is not Obama's fault other than he is doing nothing about it. Monopolies...I thought they had been outlawed.

Something we need to understand is that a law was passed not too long ago releasing drug companies from any responsibility (liability) with generic drugs. This means if you don't want to take the chance of dying on a generic you have to buy name brand which the insurance company pays very little of.

Welcome to the new United friggin States of America...corporate bought and owned.

Those drug companies that produce the generic drugs, didn't pay to develop them, didn't test them, stole the patents of existing drug companies to produce them. The only concession that the government gave to the drugs companies who were being stolen from was that if anything happened to people because of these companies that produced just generic drugs, the larger drug companies would not be held responsible. The law didn't force anyone to buy name brand drugs, it forbade the insurance companies to purchase the name brand drugs and forced them to buy generic. So for over two years, we get generic drugs. Supposedly they are just as good.

But I have to tell you....I live in and love this nation. I have faith that this nation will work our problems out, just as we always have. And if our monetary system collapses, we'll find another way to thrive. Our forefathers didn't have a monetary system to begin with...they traded animal skins and their own labor to pay for things. They grew their own crops as well. They raised animals for food and built their own homes with their own hands..and they survived.

If you don't like the "United friggin States of America" get the hell out and live where you'll be happiest.

Those drug companies that produce the generic drugs, didn't pay to develop them, didn't test them, stole the patents of existing drug companies to produce them. The only concession that the government gave to the drugs companies who were being stolen from was that if anything happened to people because of these companies that produced just generic drugs, the larger drug companies would not be held responsible. The law didn't force anyone to buy name brand drugs, it forbade the insurance companies to purchase the name brand drugs and forced them to buy generic. So for over two years, we get generic drugs. Supposedly they are just as good.

But I have to tell you....I live in and love this nation. I have faith that this nation will work our problems out, just as we always have. And if our monetary system collapses, we'll find another way to thrive. Our forefathers didn't have a monetary system to begin with...they traded animal skins and their own labor to pay for things. They grew their own crops as well. They raised animals for food and built their own homes with their own hands..and they survived.

If you don't like the "United friggin States of America" get the hell out and live where you'll be happiest.

sprytling - you can't "steal" a patent that has expired. Generics cannot be produced until the original patent has expired. Generally, 10 years for drugs. I am anxiously waiting for one of my (expensive) brand-name drugs to become available in generic - the patent on it expires next year.

I love America, too, but I have to agree with rico on two points - CEO's make ridiculous compensation, especially at companies yelling "help poor me" and America IS more and more corporate bought and owned. It is truly a tragedy.

And do you truly believe that if, in this day and age, the monetary system in this country (which is admittedly going to pot in a hurry) collapsed, we'd be "ok?" Comparing what our ancestors endured and the way we live now is apples and oranges. We have become a nation of spoiled wimps. I believe it would take decades for most people to figure out how to effectively survive. And you'd better get searching for that parcel of land big enough to sustain yourself and buy it now - before a subdivision goes up on it.

It is unforgivable for a country supposedly as great as ours to have these issues. Drug shortages, lack of good medical care in certain areas, starving children, etc.

rico, I also have been 'prevented' from posting on MSNBC boards as I say the truth and I guess the MSNBC conglomerate does not like my comments against big business. I have been commenting for over a year and they still call me a 'new user'.

It is about time that the average American realize that the government is for corporations not the people. They finance the decisions government makes. You pointed out the excessive salaries of big pharma CEOs and the CEO's of other big conglomerates. Off the subject but can be applied to all industry, if big oil reports mega millions in PROFIT per QUARTER then why $4.00/gal gas? If there are at least 4 of them why doesnt one offer a gallon of gas at $3.00 or even $2.00? Seems like price fixing. And this behavior crosses into other industries as well like the pharmacuetical industry.

halsey...The IS the problem right now. There is a battle for government takeover between Corporate America and individual Americans. They want us to lose as much as we can. That way, their control over us goes up 100%.

US corporations grew too fat too fast and now they are monsters that are insatiable. 99% of their profits feed CEO salaries that no other country of the world would ever pay any employee. But what adds salt to that wound is that the American taxpayer is expected to make up the difference for the taxes these Biggie Piggies don't pay.

Who ever thought that being American meant becoming a hostage of Big Business? And it was an easy takeover too...all they had to do was spend big bucks on their favorite politicians who do their bidding and they became the only government we now have.

This is what aristocracy is all about...Big money controlling an entire country. This is why I believed we should never have bailed them out. Letting them fall on their asses would have been a lesson they would have never tried to repeat.

Hopefully my link below works, I too am using an assumed, assumed name because newsvine chose to try to sensor the truths I speak!

Our founding fathers recognized the fact that corporations could accumulate vast amounts of money fairly fast so they always regulated the corporations through taxation. That way no corporation could ever become richer than the government!

Apple now has more cash on hand than the united states government!

HP just bought a foreign company with money they had stashed in an offshore account!

Right now corporate tax rates are the lowest in the history of our great nation. At the same time corporate profits are at record highs!

This is happening while congress is trying to cut social security and medicaid/medicare and all of the other government safety net programs so rich corporations can enjoy their tax breaks and loop holes!

Buffet and Koch have both come out in the last week and admitted that they should be paying higher tax than they do. Obama has been saying it all along.

Tell me please why we do not raise the taxes on the wealthy Americans and the corporations?

*-Look at the tea party people gasping and violently shaking their heads no in unison!

spewinstew...The reason is clear: The voice of the individual American taxpayer has been silenced...so they think.

When money becomes the sole control of any country, it is in decline. Whole civilizations became extinct for that reason alone. Revolutions spawned wars for that reason.

Never ever for a moment think Big Money can rule your life or that of your family. It's as simple as pulling the rug out from under them. That's what smart Americans are already doing.

I detest the Republican party as it stands right now. Because even though there are a half dozen dedicated, decent, honest men and women of integrity in the Republican party, they are also silenced as we are.

So..what disrupts mass silence more than the masses when they've had enough?

ewent

You speak the truth my friend!

Look at what happened in London!

Look at the protests in California over haw their transit police are treating people in San Francisco! (another protest is planned for monday at the civic center again!)

More and more people are reaching their boiling point!
Government needs to either do it's job or get out of the way!

spewinstew...I do what I can to support my NJ legislators. I am very lucky to have the finest in the state: Senator Lautenberg and Menendez, our silent warrior, always on the path to setting things right. Then, we also have Rush Holt who is my Congressman and a genius working with support for small businesses.

Our Republican governor has the right ideas when he gets off that partisan track. I give him a 5 on a scale of 10. Not sure where he's going with a lot of his bullying. That's the part that's all too reminiscent of Republicans who preceded him.

Well Sprytling I see that being the good patriot that you are you believe in censoring or suppressing "free" speech when someone has a different opinion. Let me guess.....you are a proud Republican/TP. Oh wait...isn't that just a bit of communism philosophy?

The love it or leave it quip didn't work in the 60's or 70's and it's not going to work now. The ONLY reason America progressed was because of dissent and not doing business as usual. Young Americans in their 20's, 30's and even older protested continually and loudly and now with 50 years worth of hindsight we know that they (we) were right.

We had out of town company this past weekend and we took them to the 6th Floor in Dallas. Our guests hadn't even been born yet when JFK was in office. As I did the tour with earphones my heart soared at how great he was and what he stood for!! I was humbled by hearing his words again. So don't tell me to get the hell out. This is MY dream of what America could be.

I think there is a fine line between dissent and outright treason. For instance, we have a particular professor who still teaches, who was a part of the the revolutionaries of the '60's. He engaged in assisting others in blowing people up. How much of that was patriotic and where do we draw a line regarding what is treason and what is dissention. I'm all for discussion and dissention. That's how we get things done in this country. I'm not for back door deals that obligate the entire population of the United States to approve of and allow our children to be taught homosexuality, or for our daughters to be given abortions without our knowledge or consent, because one group decided to dissent based on some childhood garbage. Parents have been demonized by this particular group of "dissenters". Our economy is being dessimated because of a lack of jobs, because other dissenters n our country want something free for nothing, and falling short of that goal, it has become vogue to resent how much money a CEO makes.

Patents can be renewed. And when it is the intellectual property of someone else, AND the profits from that owner are used to reinvest in new and better drugs, in clinical trials and research, yes, I think it's opportunistic theft.

Umm, no. This is nonsense.

The problem isn't that there isn't enough government involvement...it's that there is too much government involvement.

The government uses protectionism (I know, I know, you hate free trade and anything related to capitalism...who cares) which makes it illegal for you to spend your money on whatever drugs you want from any state or foreign country that you want. They prop up drug monopolies, which in turn cause shortages and price gouging. See, without free competition and an end to government favortism, this will continue.

So, allow free trade in drugs, and you'll have no shortages...of course this means an end to most domestic drug porducers (monopolists), and the funding they give to our corrupt and theiving politicians. This is both Right and Left.

Your nonsense answer is to have a State monopoly to replace private monopoly...umm that's just stupid. Monopoly is the problem, derrrrrrrr.

So, free trade of drugs acrosss state and national borders equals cheaper drugs, more drugs, and better drugs. Protectionism and monopoly equal higher cost drugs, lower quality drugs, and shortages of drugs.

Sometimes leftists are so stupid. But, then again...many on the right want closed borders (labor protectionism) and manufacturing tariffs (more protectionism). All of the above make us poorer as consumers while making certain hand-picked government favorites (monopolies) very very rich. It seems neither Left nor Right understand economics worth a frick.

Wake up, or continue tanking your country, fools.

Here is the answer. Don't take drugs!!! I understand that there are pain meds that cannot be substituted, and for people taking those, I really feel your pain. Other drugs' effects can usually be reproduced in a natural, if not from looking at the diagnosis from scratch again. There are other options, people are not stuck to their scripts. Get out and get informed.

Proindividual, the solution to monopolies is to break them apart... I'm not sure if you've realized, but this isn't the year 1930 and Hoover isn't President. We do have international trade. The pharama companies are already worldwide-oligarchies.

It just so happens that America makes 80% of the drugs WORLDWIDE. The USA is known for being the world's leader in drug making and drug prices. Of the top 12 companies, only 5 are in Europe, the rest are in the US. It is the one thing we are criminally good at and they just keep on merging more and more until each company doesn't even compete, they just monopolize their own segment.

But of course, the Republican solution to any problem is to blame Democrats. Obama signs trade deals, the GOP obstructs them and now you get to blame Democrats for drug prices because you think we don't trade with Europe or something.

There is no way to make this make sense. Every word of your post is just completely wrong-headed.

When I see the GOP do anything but encourage, bail out, and subsidize monopolies in every sector, then I'll believe whatever crap about them being somehow capitalistic. All the GOP has ever done is support big corporations so that better companies can never compete and force a company to make a good product or pay a decent wage. That's their function. They will take a bullet for oil subsides, take three for nuclear power for some reason (the most expensive, dangerous, and subsidized form of energy possible) and flat out shoot themselves in the head before anyone tries to regulate the banking industry or God-fobid, ask an insurance company not to drop you when you get sick.

Forget capitalism. Here we have created a system where every industry is a monopoly and competition is the bane of the establishment GOP. The government is the problem? For who? Not the companies who are making record profits and have managed to get away without paying taxes AND getting subsidies. I guess all they want from us now is to be able to pollute freely (read talking point: de-fund the EPA) kill any future competition (read talking point: de-fund the DoE) and lower wages to zero (read talking point: unions or the enemy! no minimum wage!) but only if they can make sure they never pay taxes (read: tea party) and gamble with the economy, our future, and even our very lives if they so choose (read talking point: end all regulations).

Hmm, with friends like them, who needs a government. All I need to do is trust all my needs to my friends at Umbrella Corp.

By the way, a stockpile of life saving drugs makes sense if we are running out despite paying for them.

If you have a single payer system, you will take out much of the profit motive for innovation. The money can be spent elsewhere to make money and it will be. We will no longer have the argument over how expensive the new medication should be because we will not have the new medication. The best part about this is we will not know what we do not have so no one will be upset.

Me:) you do realize there are really only three nations that have a single payer system. You don't need a single payer system, Germany doesn't have a single payer system.

You are flat out wrong Indiana. I don't know about today but in the past the U.S. government paid these drug companies to research new meds.

Drugs have an expiration date I don't see how stockpiling is going to help over the long run.

Dante are you sure your facts are correct about where the drugs are manufactured because it's just opposite of what I've heard.

Proindividual it seems to me that America did better in every realm before globalization. Keep your duh rhetoric to yourself. Look what happened with deregulation of Wall Street, Banks, Electricity. Dumb azz.

ProIndividual ... personally, having lived in many third world countries before retiring, I'm not all that eager to import items that we have no quality control over.

What is needed is to understand that there are certain items in life that cannot be left to the profit motive. Business is very good at what business does ... make money. Government is very good at what government does ... provide goods and services that are too vital to life to be left to the PROFIT MOTIVE.

This artificial drug shortage to enhance bottom line profits seems a very good example of the latter (as does police protection, fire protection, transportation, national defense, education, national health, and a host of other facets of modern life).

Turn over the above items to private corporations strictly regulated as to production and profit or turn it over to entirely governmental operation.

As I said some things are too important for profit motive and the greed factor. Life and death is one of those things.

Have any of you ever worked for Big Pharma? I have for many years. Like any industry, there is good and bad. I know the democrats love to paint the private sector as evil doers, but it always boils down to the bottom line for each company and in the healthcare industry what products MUST be maintained.

Let's take the I.V. solutions business of Baxter and Abbott. These very necessary products used worldwide in great quantities, are a very low margin product for both of these companies. In fact a very mature market. Many of those manufacturing facilities are in very small rural towns that would DIE if these companies stopped manufacturing these I.V. solutions. You can't begin to know how those employees working for these two companies have kept small town America alive. I know. Been there. Walked the walk.

I really am sick of article after article written by left wing journalists continue to paint the job creators like criminals. These drug companies adhere closely and with great effort to FDA requirements. I know this also. Done that job. Those making sure facilities are doing everything possible to assure product safety take their jobs very, very seriously. Do I think every company does this? I haven't worked for every company in the world. I am sure there is some percentage that works under the radar as is the case in all industries. They need to be singled out and punished, but to constantly paint all companies with the same brush is exactly like doing that with all ethnic groups of people. So if it is wrong on a individual basis it is wrong to do so with corporations that are comprised of individuals.

NO SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM. We don't need socialized medicine. It discourages doctors from becoming doctors, it creates long waiting lists as doctors time is much more valuable than patients are. Drugs will be given to people who are considered not a burden on society, and the rest of us will be "made comfortable" whatever that means. It's called rationing, people. If the government can storehouse our medications, then they can ration them. they aren't talking about illegal drugs here, they are talkiing about lifesaving medications. And largely it is the senior citizens who are being attacked.

Liberals know that a great deal of the nation's wealth rests in the hands of the seniors because the seniors have spent alot of years saving and building for retirement. All of a sudden our insurances are being pulled out from under us, our medications are in short supply and will cost us much, much more to take them, there is a massive attack by liberals to take away any tax advantages we enjoy from owning our homes, we're all being forced onto medicare whether we want it or not, the retirement age is going up so that we cannot access our retirement funds, and the cost of food, gasoline, doctor care, and taxes are going up and up and up, and banks are deciding to take more money from those who keep 50 million dollars or more in their coffers...telling the public that it's wealthy people, when it is instead the pension funds of seniors and those planning for their retirements. The Banks are the Federal Government and the Federal Reserve. The result, the liberals hope, is that we will lose our homes, or sell out to them during a time when we would not make any money on selling our homes. They want our wealth and they want to marginalize all Seniors. It's time for Seniors to stop relying on liberal programs like AARP to speak for us, and for us to begin lobbying ourselves. We will not vote for what is stealing from us in our old age.

OMG Sprytling are you serious? You think the liberals are doing this?????

Take a look around buddy. It's the greedy corporations (read Rebulican/TP) who control the price of almost everything!

How does this happen? How can someone be so brainwashed to their own political propaganda that they fail to see what's really happening. Follow the money Sprytling. What's so very sad is that you are going to continue believing this is caused by those dirty liberals and you'll vote Republican/TP who will just keep raping America(ns).

So very very sad.

No, rico. It's from being older and wiser. We've listened to the bleeding heart liberals until they've taken over everything. "Follow the Money" from unions to democrat coffers. A corporation, in case you don't know it, could be a mom and dad running a carpet business in Indiana. They formed a corporation because it's what you do in business, you protect what assets you already have and try and earn a steady stream of profit...by the way, businesses are SUPPOSED to earn money..it's the law. They are SUPPOSED to seek and make a profit, or they won't be a business for very long.

Me-

You mean like the UK and Canada-?

Right-

That would mean you'd wait almost a full YEAR for an appointment for diagnosis or treatment procedure-

Those systems are all about delay and red tape tactics to KILL off a percentage of the patients in order to control costs.

mypantry - don't take drugs? Really? Do you know anything about the mortality rate of our ancestors due to relatively minor health issues? While I do believe that meds are over-prescribed in a lot of cases, I'd like to believe they do more good than harm. I have several minor health issues, but without my drugs, I would have been dead by now from them because of their nature. One of my issues is hypothyroidism - look up the problems associated with that if it goes untreated for long periods of time; it eventually ends in death - no thanks. It is believed that a small percentage of mental patients of old were actually victims of untreated thyroid disease. And don't even get me started about what happens when my body becomes tolerant of my anti-depressants and stop working before my next rotation.

I am only 51 years old and have had this issue since I was 20 - since I don't have to, I don't think I will choose death because of "principles."

Then we would be Mexico......

From the right winger posts on this thread, it's easy to see why they all love deregulation...it spells "p r o f i t"...not gained on their own...but from the rest of us.

And, right wingers are all anti-government until you ask them what the alternative is...their right wing ideology running over everyone else's lives?

Government should never be aligned with Big Business..the minute you do that you no longer have a government but a business and a corporate hierarchy totally profit drive...Goverments are not in the business of profits. Only big businesses are.

Rico, most of the largest pharma companies are based in the US. Their reach is global of course, which means they do manufacturing and research wherever is most profitable. For example, the largest pharma company is Johnson and Johnson followed by Pfizer.

As for manufacturing, those two companies are mostly doing it in the US and Pfizer does all R&D in the US, but I can't speak for all of them. The 80% figure only referred to the percentage of market share that is based in the US.

More broadly, the industrial output of the US is the largest in the world and growing (well up to this default debate) reversing a trend from the last decade that has entered the popular psyche. In any case, there isn't a tariff that is a boundary to drug companies.

The simple solution to a monopoly is to break them apart, end of story. It's better for the company's future if they put their profits into innovation rather than mergers and politician-buying anyway.

Sorry ME but as soon as Obama care gets fully operational there will be even less availability of these types of drugs. Mr Obama's panels will find they are just not worth the expense (ie you wont be worth the expense). But they will be willing to give you all the narcotics you want while you wait to die. As long as you dont take too much time to kick it.

Yes the death panels will decide if I am worthy to live and give me narcotics to turn me into solient green. That's so something real.

Obama/Reality 2012!

OMG sprytling, you need to get your head out of Fockedup News and look at the country for yourself instead of buying into the Teabag propaganda... you say the elderly have a great deal of the wealth in the country?? SMH you need to get a life... 90% of the wealth in this country is owned by less than 2% of the population... yeah I guess some of that less than 2% are elderly. If you want to lay blame for the insurance and health care cost skyrocketing, look in the mirror. It is people like you who cannot think for themselves but vote by soundbyte from Focked News and the Tea and Repugnantcon Parties that have caused the country to be is such dire straits. Go lobby for yourself in you can get your nose out of the TV blaring Focked News day and night... and it NEVER CEASES to amaze me that you and your ilk think you are the ones who "love America"... I won't question anyone else's love of country, but methinks your love of money supercedes your patriotic views, and you have the two confused..

Sprytling don't tell me about "older and wiser". lol such arrogance! I'm on the pretty side of 60. And I am very experienced :)

Why can't anyone understand that sprything has just plain and simply lived a superior life to we inferiors that dare dream of peace, harmony and The American Way.

And it's the Democrats'/Liberals'/CommiePinkoFags'fault that the USA is where it is Today and is sliding to Tomorrow!

Oh, The Humanity!!!!!

mypantry407

Here is the answer. Don't take drugs!!! I understand that there are pain meds that cannot be substituted, and for people taking those, I really feel your pain. Other drugs' effects can usually be reproduced in a natural, if not from looking at the diagnosis from scratch again. There are other options

mypantry, if only your statement was feasible.

Unfortunately, even though many medications are plant based, for many illnesses manufactured medications are the only answer. It would be great if many patients could ditch their pill bottles, and treat their illnesses with less toxic natural remedies. However, until medicine reaches that point, the U.S. government needs to keep the profit factor involved in the manufacturing of drugs - to encourage innovation.

Importantly, our government needs to establish better regulatory mechanisms that will prevent the greedy pharmaceutical companies, through the manipulation of the drug supply - from putting patients lives at stake.

This unconscionable behavior on the part of the pharmaceutical industry is another reason to vote Democratic in 2012.

On the contrary...sprytling is older, well educated, and watches many more news stations that Fox news. I also read three newspapers, every day. But then the ilk that distorts the names of businesses and calls entire groups of people by whatever sexually filthy name they can find, certainly don't strike me as much better than errant children. You all remind me of the story I read to my children about the grasshopper and the ant. Keep playing and lobbying for things to be free...that is all that motivates you. Love of country? Ha! All you do it complain and try to undermine this country. You're not here to discuss but to try and undermine for a political party.

I raised five children, I certainly wasn't rich. I also educated all five of them. I didn't teach them that our country was supposed to pick up the slack for them. I taught them that they had to fend for themselves. They had to become educated and think for themselves. I also taught them loyalty to country and to their God. They don't seek the government to give them anything free, they work. That's what we're supposed to do.

It was not liberals who taught us to save, or that we should give to our churches, or that the government owed us anything outside of using our taxes to keep the infrastructure of our country up, and to keep us safe. That didn't mean they didn't have to earn a living. Nor did it mean they shouldn't save for their future. We get old and we're supposed to be putting away for our retirement.

Right now, this very minute, the banks, run by the Federal Reserve, are charging exorbitant fees to those who have 50 million dollars or more in their accounts. The banks and the government and the "liberal" newspapers, would have us believe that those accounts belong to rich people. I'm sure there are a couple. But for the most part, those accounts are the pension accounts of people, like me, all across this nation. We saved a bit of our paycheck every single week, and we had a company invest it for us, so that we would not be dependent on Medicare or death councils. We kept our insurances paid religiously, and we helped the other members of our churches when things were down for them. Liberals have been so disrespectful that they have literally harangued those of us who believe in God or a higher power. You have attempted to label us with the title of "terrorist" because we don't want to live your way and we don't want our children taught to live your way. We've never gone out of our way to hurt or harm anyone, but we've been harmed by you...people who want to undermine us, our famiies, our businesses, our country. You want a "new" way, and the only way you see to have your new way, is to take what we worked and saved for, calling us rich, if we even dare to own a home. How dare we have planned for our retirement, while you partied. Now you're getting old and you want what we saved for.

You want to accuse the best Pharamaceutical system in the world of being a monopoly, and for no other reason except that you think somehow they owe you something for free. You are so obvious, even a undereducated person sees you for who you are. You got a President into office who you thought would give you what you wanted, and even he has been unable to do that.

The problem is that Americans freely gave to people who we thought needed it. We cared. Now you've decided that you deserve what we give, so you're just going to take it. I've another few years before I'll have my doctorate, but when I do, I'm going to run for office. I don't even care if I win, but I surely will be heard by the real Americans in this nation.

Try as hard as you might, but the democrats are not going to be successful in blaming the drug companies for what Obama has created. He needs to get out of the healthcare business and get his hands out of the Pharmaceutical industry. They dont' have to pay protection money.

sprytling...Obama created nothing. It was your Republicans who wanted to privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid...Now...can any tighty righty ever admit what that really means?

It means, taking our payroll deductions and handing it over to Republican cronies of Wall Street and Big Business without any input or authorization from us...how close to dictatorship do righties want it to get?

When a jerk like Mitch McConnell (R-KY) helps himself to the best heart surgery at the US's top Naval hospital at taxpayer expense and people on the right would have the raisins to deny the rest of the country equal healthcare, that smells of right wing Me First To Hell With Everyone Else BS.

Mitch McConnell publicly admitted he speaks regularly with HMOs...so...how about a retraction of that all too obvious accusation that President Obama is involved in healthcare when Republicans like McConnell and Boehner Boy have the HMO and healthcare industry in their back pockets?

Obama caused a drug shortage? Really? How so? Did Obama also cause a silicon shortage or the oil shortage in 2008? Is Obama responsible of the uranium shortage or the fresh water shortage?

You just spit out an attack on Obama and I suppose that's all the evidence you and your like need, but please, for the unconverted, explain it to us. Then explain how a stockpile is such a bad idea and how the government has been so bad for medicine what with researching most of them themselves.

Shame as there is certainly no shortage of oxy's and other meds used by addicts! You can get them anywhere on the street..... however no need to do so as doctors are handing out scripts like candy. Even to people they know are addicts. If we cut back on all the abuse of pain killers, maybe we got produce more needed drugs.

You may think that is the case but the reality is that there have been several shortages of not only oxycontin, but also other pain products. From fentanyl, to morphine in some strengths, to other pain pills and IV drugs as well.

While crooked doctors with a loose script pad have hurt the scene, so have the DEA with their maximum allowable yearly quotas for narcotics, to FDA finding unsafe quality control issues, to just plain old fashioned greed and price gouging by the big pharma companies.

China puts a bullet in the head of the leaders of the greedy companies who pull stunts like this. Here in the US, we have politicians parading in front of the camera to show outrage, while probably hitting the companies up for more donations to their campaigns, to keep the heat off and the dollars flowing.

Time for an independent grand jury to start looking into all these abuses of both the companies and the regulating agencies, and the politicians who stand to gain from the smoke and mirrors employed by all sides.

The current system is broke and too many people are needlessly dying or in increased pain and misery because of mainly greed. Maybe it is time to think about nationalizing companies that break their trust with the public. Nothing else seems to have gotten the attention of the leaders of theses companies.

Huh! Isn't it more the profit motive than anything else? Addicts will pay any price to get what they need, whether legally or illegally.

The problem is, my friend, that there are some things in life that should not be left to the profit motive and private enterprise.

Life and death are examples of one of those things.

An occasional doctor is not obeying the law and writes scripts. Don't make generalized statements. Most doctors are very much law abiding citizens.

I don't believe you're correct. Money makes the word go round...that's another old saying. If I don't work, I don't get paid. If I don't get paid, I can't buy a house or a car. It's the same thing with a business. If they can't sell their services or their merchandise, they don't get paid. If they don't get paid, they can't pay people to work in their business. See it works that way. Life is that way. Try growing up and figuring out that you are the reason we have an Obama in the white house trying to find a way to give you the moon without you having to work to get it.

You obiously are not in pain. When you get older you develop arthritic pain, sometimes in every part of your body. People dying from cancer, do it in pain, it's not a joke. Soldiers who get shot in wartime, go into shock from the pain more often than not, even with pain medications. You are obviously a child who knows nothing about what he is talking about. It's very easy for you to say put one kind of medication aside for another. You aren't living it.

beck...I forget the name of the movie...a documentary about the origin of the Crips and Bloods. I was amazed at one particular part of the history of those gangs...They originated as a result of industries coming into their neighborhoods, hiring huge numbers of minorities and then after they made their profits, picked up and left neighborhoods that were devastated by unemployment.

One statement stood out in this documentary: 82% of drugs are purchased by white people while 82% blacks end up in prison for drug related crimes.

So...Industry comes into a neighborhood, creates jobs, makes big bucks off the neighborhood, takes its profits and moves on or closes, the neighborhood goes broke and unemployed and bingo! You have the beginnings of violent crime and the drug markets.

This is exactly what happened in Mexico. It's Cuba all over again.

I am very, very sorry to hear about your wife. I wish you both the best.

I don't think this is Obama (at least not yet). I think it is big pharma and free market and patents. The patents need to be outlawed.

Way to blame Obama for something that has nothing to do with healthcare reform. Just by making that statement you discredit anything you typed about your supposed issue with your wife. Of course it's easy to blame the President for the issue, but why not instead focus your attention to the billion dollar pharm industry who is creating the shortage to increase profits.

That is just like blaming the cat for eating the dogs food.

OIF Disabled Vet: (I am ALSO a Disabled Vet)

". I have health insurance, and I am on a number of medications for injuries I suffered in Iraq. I went to the local Walgreens to pick up a script and they didn't have my insurance on file, they told me my total came to $690, FOR A 30 DAY SUPPLY. Thank god I have insurance, or I would be screwed.Get OFF your High Horse Man, Cant you see what the hell is going on here."

First off, I would like you to explain to all these readers and myself, Where did you find an insurance company that would insure you, and second how can you afford it?

Why are you not getting your Meds from the VA. If it is for a service connection, then they are FREE and even still... If you 'Rating' is at a certain level, then ALL YOUR MEDS would be free.

Ole Son, didn't your Daddy ever tell you... "Ya can SWnow the Snowman, But ya CAN'T Bull @!$%# The Bull"

Chill Brother, and Thank You for your service.

terriels

"The patents need to be outlawed."

Then you had better be happy with the status of drugs exactly as they are now because new innovations and products will be few and far between in the future.

Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

The patents need to be outlawed.

terriels - if you outlaw patents, you will destroy all research and development in all areas of manufacturing. Would you spend an inordinate amount of money to develop a product for which you will never regain your investment? Drug companies don't invest in research for new and better drugs out of the goodness of their hearts, and neither would you. What needs to be outlawed are people with no common sense or reasoning ability.

To all those who rebuff Midwest, he is absolutely correct. This is just one unwanted side affect as a result of Obamacare. Brace yourself for many more unpleasant surprises and also a number of them that will have absolutely nothing to do with healthcare at all. We have a country full of sheeple. It was bad legislation that needs to be repealed.

Can you expand on your wife's situation and be honest. Is she 65 for medicare, are you indigent for medicaid or on an insurance policy supported by the taxpayer or group policy? Because if she isn't, without Obamacare she would go untreated and not have any drugs regardless of availability. Go try to find an insurance company that would insure her. Now maybe you understand the importance of Obamacare.

Thanks President Obama _________

Dick .... Baloney!

It has to do with profit motive and greed not being part of some things in life. Repeat ... life and death are examples of those things. It is TOO MUCH private enterprise involved in what should not be private enterprise. And too little governmental regulation that allowed a few pharmaceutical behemoths to dominate the market and set the rules.

Isn't that sort of backwards?

Again, Obamacare...and the liberal/marxist government he is attempting to create in the United States. I'm certainly not a politician, nor am I big on becoming involved, but it's time. They are taking over everything, including the right to be allowed to save our lives.

midwest...Right...President Obama issued an edict that all drug companies should withhold needed drugs. President Obama and only President Obama is to blame, right?

First of all, The HCA you call "Obamacare" doesn't take full effect until 2012. The only part of the HCA that is now in effect is that which states no one can be rejected for medical care by healthcare insurers if they have prediagnosed illnesses.

People who bash the HCA do so because they won't admit their state has been dumping them into federal healthcare for ages so these states don't have to spend a dime on care for the people IN their states.

Red states do this with impunity. When you take a look at how much these red states pay into Medicaid, you see that more than half are far below blue states in Medicaid contributions. So the rest of the funding they need come from the federal government...read taxpayers in every other state but theirs.

Why does everyone blame Obama or any political person. They are in office for short times, much shorter than the drug companies have been around. Drug companies are like the mob, they have much higher control that the gov!

Ro...Most American Corporations today are the mob. It's 1959 all over again when American corporations operated offshore in Cuba to avoid paying US taxes and to avoid government regulations.

No, Obama is responsible for the drug shortage, as is the Food and Drug Admiinstration under his direction.

spyrtling...When righties run out of Charmin, they blame President Obama. When they can't afford gas for their Bully Boi pick up trucks, it's President Obama's fault. When they can't expel gas from those gas bags, that's his fault too.

Enough with trying to blame it all on this president. We've heard it all before and sorry if it doesn't compute. The FDA under George W. Bush had a Texas appointee who was mandated to water down more than half the FDA regulations. Still want to blame this president?

Odd, Obama seems to be the person trying to fix the situation. Republicans seem to be trying their hardest to blame Obama. I wonder who I'll vote for if my goal would be to get drugs to patients and I couldn't care less about point scoring.

dante...I was a Republican. I am totally disgusted by their present modus operandi. They can only win an election by dragging another man's good name through the mud, use the Supreme Court to decide who is and isn't president and a brother's state to throw the votes their way, it smells really bad.

But that's not why I left that party. I was fed up with their bully tactics and their covert black ops on honest, decent individual Americans. They are not getting elected to help the people. They are in the pockets of some of the richest men in the US. If that's the only way they can get elected, something has gone totally awry in the Constitutional right to vote.

When I see Obama talking about a stockpile, I honestly think he's worried about a shortage of life-saving drugs.

Not sure what the GOP cares about. I don't exactly know what there is to be against here. You'd either have to think that this is some form of divine justice against the weak or be completely bought out to be against this. The only response I've heard on this board from the right is to deregulate heath insurance....

Actually the first responses were "this should have been done years before and is coming too late" but that was before the talking points filtered in to what kind of attack to make. The new talking point is that they are against this and Obama is a communist.

If we are expected to believe all the BS posted on here, we would really have to be one of the 4th grade level IQ that the major networks aim programming at.

A lot of people were getting cheaper drugs from Canada until it was made illegal. Obama during his 2008 campaign said Americans should be able to import drugs if they were cheaper from other countries. Son of a gun after election and with his push for Obamacare the whole thing reversed and his FDA people made the case for NOT allowing any change in the import of drugs. Another both sides of the mouth issue.

Drug companies concentrate on making drugs that produce the most profit. If the government really wanted to take care of its citizens it would support a non-profit company to produce the medications that have a shortage problem and if they are patented by big drug companies, tell them if they refuse to keep an adequate supply thier patents will be voided.

'Significant shortages of a dozen drugs, including several chemotherapy and cancer treatment drugs, could affect patients across Canada over the coming months."

There is a global supply shortage. The solution to this is to create a stockpile. Are you against this or not?

Great Idea but hard to prove.

Absolutely it is price fixing on a massive scale caused by the Internet making it readily available for companies to collude together to restrict supplies to jack up prices and it's criminal. Congress should launch an investigation by the CIA and FBI to determine if this is true and if it is every company guilty of this kind of collusion should be kicked out of the country. Enough of the corruption and 'monopolistic' hacking of democracy and capitalism for incredible greed throughout the pharmacy industry.

"should lose patent protection permanently"

The overwhelming majority of the drugs that the article is talking about are off patent and are/were being produced by generic drug manufacturers. The problem is far more complex than a single manufacturer deciding on its own to limit production- although that does happen. Often one manufacturer will stop making a product because it's not profitable. If there are only one or two other suppliers they may not have the capacity to increase production enough to offset the amount of product removed from the market and gearing up production and going thru the FDA red tape involved in the process can take many months or even years. Other times the FDA itself is the cause because they will halt production and distribution from a manufacturer because of rules violations- often just paperwork issues- and we end up with the same issues as when a manufacturer stops production only this time the other manufacturers have no or little incentive to expand capacity because once the rules violations are corrected the first manufacturer will usually resume production. And the entire problem is being compounded by a significant number of mergers among generic manufacturers- partly because FDA regs make it difficult for them to be profitable.

This is an issue that "Big Pharma" (i.e. Pfizer/Merck/etc) play only a very small role in. And it's an incredibly complicated one that involves government regulatory oversight, a closed (and government mandated) supply chain, economics plus some poor decisions and greed.

Generally generic drug manufacturers have done a remarkably good job of holding down medicine costs as much as they have. Let's not throw the entire system out until we're sure that whatever we try to replace it with can do as well.

Simple solution that will infuriate the Republicans:

If there is a shortage in a very important drug, immediately grant a waiver for allowing import of the drug from Canada; NO FDA intervention as they often use "safety" to side with manufacturers ("job creators").
If not available in Canada then from Australia or wherever it is available (China is a possible exception because of identity/quality concerns).......This procedure will guarantee that shortages will be very rare and due to real problems in manufacture and not just corporate manipulation and greed.

Hear, hear!!!! Excellent idea ... free trade at work. Ever notice how free trade only seems to protect the greedy and monopolistic companies.

Sounds an awful lot like the oil industry, doesn't it?? Personally I don't understand why life necessities like this aren't federalized. Life saving drugs, utilities, oil...all of these things are absolutely essential to preserving life, they aren't "luxuries". We could be producing these things here at home, thus putting millions of people back to work, and providing them to American citizens at costs that would be far more reasonable - another necessity considering how many millions of children and families are living in poverty and can't even afford to put food on the table much less pay for drugs and heat during the winter. Why we continue to allow ourselves to be beholden to foreign interests and corporate profit margins when it comes to such essentials is completely beyond me but, then, I'm sure the tea party idiots and their GOP puppets would never allow their corporate backers to be trumped by the interests and needs of the vast majority of the nation...

How ridiculous. The major drugs companies have had their hands tied. You have to realize that we don't get the name brand drugs anymore. By law, all insurance companies now have to give us generic drugs. The government is trying to take control of the Pharmaceutical industry...they see great profits there. It's not the drug companies doing this, it is Obama and his henchmen. Don't you see what's happening right before your eyes? Food is sky high, they've taken over the "cleanliness of our food", Our air quality is monitored daily and industry is not being allowed to develop because the liberal government and the EPA says it's not good for our air and our environment, so we don't have the jobs those industries might have developed. We're dependent on foreign oil, which makes our gasoline more and more expensive. Our government stockpiles gasoline too, and they make money from it when they release it. There is very little that our government is NOT regulating and taking over, though it isn't what they're saying. Slowly but surely, our government is taking over our lives. And we're sitting here debating instead of doing something about it. It's all about control. It's about forcing people to accept the unacceptable. This is not Europe, it is America. We don't need to be modeled after Europe, our forefathers came here to get away from European laws. We don't need or want socialized medicine which is nothing more than government rationing of medical care. We need the liberals out of our government. We need jobs and we need people who actually want to earn their way in this world.

sprytling,

Sorry but the problem is what corporations, monopoly's, lobbyists, and the wealthiest influence on our government that is the problem. The corps have pretty much bought us. I understand your and the T-parties anger but it is misdirected. Blaming the government is treating the symptoms and not curing the disease (which is all pharma does anymore). The disease is corps and big monies influence on our government and it's officials.

"If there is a shortage in a very important drug, immediately grant a waiver for allowing import of the drug from Canada"

Of the 10 largest generic drug manufacturers, one is located in Canada (Apotex) and all of it's products are available thru U.S. sources as readily as they are in Canada. In fact, 4 of the 10 largest generic drug manufacturers are not located in the U.S. (Teva-Israel, Sandoz-Germany & Dr. Reddy's- India) but virtually all of their products are currently available in the U.S.. If there are shortages, they are effected by it as much as their American counterparts are.

The other suggestion that seems to be on the table, to open the markets up to companies without FDA oversight, is a different matter entirely. It is true that it would alleviate some of the shortages. But it would be foolhardy to think that only Chinese sourced products would have potential quality concerns. There has been a steady stream of products coming into the U.S. via Mexico for years and while no study has ever been done (logistically it would be impossible) there is certainly anecdotal evidence of problems with misbranding and quality issues that have arisen. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done but as a consumer I would certainly want to know the source of the product plus it's going to put companies that do have to undergo FDA oversight at a considerable cost disadvantage

Protection nothing their company should be nationalized taken over by the Fed and sold to the highest bidder.

Do it a couple of time on businesses and want to bet how fast they will clean up their act.

Robert...I agree. It wouldn't be that hard to prove either. Not when you consider that every mass production line in the US has to provide annual documentation on the amount of products they are producing for OSHA and EPA purposes.

All they'd have to do is link those numbers to figure out why the drop in specific manufacturing periods. The other thing is that they can't even make the claim they can't get raw materials either...that too is documented under the US import/exportation laws.

America Captolistic Democratic Dictatorship by big business. That is America, today.

Sadly, true. And, yet, this is exactly what the tea party and republicans voted for. I hope none of their children are facing death due to a lack of vital cancer medication!

On the contrary, this is liberal/marxism taking over capitalism. We've always been the wealthiest nation in the world because we did not use communism/marxism. We grew our own food, we manufactured our own goods, we took care of each other when we needed each other and we fought with each other when we disgreed, but if unless we were crazy, we didn't kill each other. We created a government that allowed us to overthrow it every four years. We allowed everyone to have a voice, and mostly, those who worked the hardest and cared the most earned more. Now the liberals have made it a crime to have accomplished something with your life. If you have more money that someone else, you're accused of being greedy, instead of the have nots who have been sitting on street corners with a bottle or a marijuana cigarette in their hands, or those sitting on welfare, being accused of the laziness they are guilty of. People come here from all over the world because they can make it here where they cannot anywhere else. And we are complaining? Look at other nations for heaven's sake. Look at the children dying alongside roads for lack of food, look at Croatia and Iraq, murdering one another, look at the food shortages and the water shortages...look at it. And then thank God that you are an American. Fight for what we have, not for what the have nots want to get from us. Throw the bums out of our government and rescind their regulations and our nation will come back.

Tell me what the conservatives have done to further your ideas or prevent the chaos you describe? Don't think the Libs are the sole cause of your diatribe.

Liberals have been nearly the sole source of all the crying, ballyhooing and growth of government and government entitlements.

Wow, you wing nuts are in a complete haze but then until it effects you wing nuts you don't care.

So put it like this when it does I don't want to here you cry about morons.

ant...the righties have lived off the Gravy Train for so long now thanks to Republican manipulations in government that they are no longer able to feed oxygen to their limited brains.

This is why they all blame this president for everything. No right winger I ever knew had any sense of accountability, much less responsibility.

I hope I have been able to point out the flaws of spruthing and his/her likes through some actual facts/links/documentation.

But I doubt that will ever change those afflicted by ignorance-by-choice!

notsojingo...I don't mind ignorance if it's borne of lack of opportunity to educate oneself. But the ignorant in this country have only their own state politicians to blame and themselves.

No one who has any sense of self-respect and self-esteem remains ignorant when there are numerous opportunities to reverse that.

Hence my -by-choice tag!

The ability of those that parrot their favorite pundit show hosts' entertainment value based, written for them spewings, causes me a godawful pain in my soul. Because these morons actually believe it!

If it is an honest attempt by someone to portray a viewpoint towards which one leans, I respect the poster until or if he/she is not categorizing or broad stroke accusing some section of the populace for being responsible for the ills of the Nation, for example. Or if one is seeking to learn, investigate, question or simply learn by research, this is the place to do it. I have been wrong a number of times or at least had my opinion altered somewhat in discussions with folks on Newsvine that have different experience/knowledge/stances than myself, and consider myself richer for it.

It is a choice to stay ignorant for many of those that choose to remain such. Or it is paid shilling perhaps.

;)

Peace

Really

Berine Sanders from Vermont has made several trips to Canada with bus loads of people to get thier Meds...

Meds are much cheaper in Canada. Asthma medicine that costs $129/puffer in the USA (no generic available) is only $88/3 puffers/free shipping/generic available from Canada.

Yes, it is illegal to order from Canada, but when I can get 3 puffers in generic for less than one in the USA, my pocketbook tells me to order from Canada. All of this is BS here in the USA.

Why should I? Canada buys them from us, for the most part. And what they send back is largely outdated.

What are you talking about your an idiot PERIOD that is being nice to you. Canada buys almost nothing for us you moron. In fact our oil is from Canada and by the way they never went into a recession how do wing nuts explain that.

Oh way they don't they just use retoric, hate and lies to justify their point go back to fox news where you belong.

Canada mandates what brand name manufacturers can charge so the cost of brand name drugs there is often less- but this also means that U.S. consumers bear the cost of R&D for new drugs while our neighbors to the north reap the benefits. And without the patent protection on new drugs you very likely wouldn't have your asthma inhaler in the first place. Are you old enough to remember theophylline? If so, do you really want to go back to that? I am surprised that Canada isn't following U.S. patent law (they normally do) but inhalers also have some FDA bio-equivalency issues so that might explain it.

Also, since Canada gets their generic drugs from the same sources as we do, your solution would do absolutely nothing to alleviate the problem that the article is talking about.

ant...It's pretty frustrating, isn't it? Trying to reason with a right wing narrow mind parrot? I attribute that kind of narrow mindedness to lack of education. All we need to prove that is what we see now...Bachmann, Palin, Perry and the rest of the do nothing right wing big mouths.

Ask them any question that requires them to prove they can actually resolve major national issues and you get ambiguity out of them, blaming everyone else or they change the subject. Which of course, educated Americans are not supposed to notice.

sprytling...Canadian pharmaceuticals if you bother to check are located in Toronto and several other major Canadian cities. They supply all of the drugs manufactured in their country. Get a clue.

fr sent, ewent! I like your style.

notsojingo...Canada is perhaps the one country of the world that learns from its own lessons. Not many Americans realize that Canada not more than 2 decades ago suffered its own Great Depression. But, unlike the US, Canadians learned their lessons from economic hardship.

I am always amazed and respectful of their ability to cut corruption off at the pass. You won't find government contractors in Canada padding the bills they send to government. Nor will you find political cronies in that mix either.

There is much Americans can learn from our northern neighbors.

sprytling: You have no idea what you are talking about. All meds from Canada have the expiration dates listed on them and they are as good or better than what you can get here.

Yep

Big oil is already taking blood from us, might as well let them administer meds too!

Big oil isn't taking anything from us. Our government is. We've not been allowed to build a new refinery in 40 years. We aren't allowed to drill for oil on our own land, so we wouldn't be dependent on foreign oil. The liberal EPA gets to regulate who has jobs and who doesn't, our drugs, our environment and our food. We need the liberals out of our government altogether. we need the RINO"S out and the regulations rescinded...all they are geared towards is rationing our jobs, our air, our water, our food, our medication, our medical care, our freedom of speech and thought, our educational process, our religious freedoms. They're geared towards controlling all of us and forcing a lifestyle on us that we don't want. Get them out!!!

spry-It was just a little sarcasm. Look it up in the dictionary.

And BTW, it's not the government, it's Wall Street speculators that have us by the short-hairs!

Your right about some of the stuff you mentioned but your biggest mistake is well I won't go that far but your thoughts are a little mixed up. Its the republicans along with the teanuts now that are causing the problems since Reagans and his reganomics crapped out on America. But being so brainwashed by them as your comment shows I doubt you'll ever get the picture. Its a shame. Nobody home.

You call it Reagonomics and trickle down economics. What it really is is supply and demand. If there is a demand for wigits, the creator of the wigits will need help to create the extra wigits. He will in turn hire people to help make the wigits. His company will pay taxes on the profits he makes for the wigits, and each employee will also pay taxes from the money they make from working for the wigit maker. Hence the government makes more money when more people are employed, and people are more employed when government get it's hands out of the till and lets the business produce. We are all much better off when we're not being scared too.

johnm...Actually, you are not far off the mark with your post. Most boards of directors do in fact have a number of members who have nothing to do whatsoever with the corporation. So, what you have are boards of directors of Big Pharma with a half dozen Big Oil, Big Finance and Big Military Industry CEOs sitting on them. Been done for ages. Should be against the law.

sprytling...Big Oil steals from taxpayers, consumers and their own employees. I should have realized a Big Oil supporter post when I read it. Why does Big Oil need taxpayers to provide subsidies when they've recorded historic profits in the worst recession since the Great Depression?

Why did Cheney and Bush hold that secret energy meeting in 2001 the likes of which no one still knows what was discussed and which obviously approved the dozen price increases on heating oil and gasoline.

And just how doesn't every man, woman and child in Texas benefit when Big Oil gets more than its share of tax exemptions just for producing the worst polluting contaminant on the planet?

So let's see now...Big Oil schmutzed up Montana's River, Michigan, Arkansas, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea...if the only way the Texan economy can exist is with Big Oil, it's a pathetic way to exist.

NJ just built 2 charging stations, has increased jobs by 3500 and solar energy is taking over the east coast...sticking it to Big Oil is better than being a hostage of the blowhard state.

From all of his rants today, do you think sprytling needs to refill his script, or does he just need a lower dose of whatever mind-numbing drug he takes?

I would rather see nationalization of drug companies.

I would rather see nationalization of drug companies.

Nevermind the fact that it would stifle the research of new drugs. So you expect someone to develop the cure to cancer or aids and not become a millionaire? If I found the cure to either, you bet sweet arse I'm going to charge a hefty price for my intellectual property.

The government should not be forcing companies to produce anything. That's called slavery.

And by nationalizing, you eliminate the profit motive which keeps companies seeking new ways to increase productivity, reduce costs, and yes be profitable. A government-run industry has no incentive to become more efficient, thereby remaining inefficient and eventually running into even more shortages due to poor manufacturing/supply chain processes. Look to the USPS, VA system, DMV's, SSA, and others as examples.

Hey, Bobl ... how about both?

If the government were to nationalize drug production that would have to logically include research and development, price setting and production cost reduction as well. If you need proof of the greed-factor that is costing people's lives you don't have to look any further than the case of the drug Makena (a form of progesterone injected weekly in women carrying high risk pregnancies to prevent preterm labor). It cost $10 per dose before KV Pharmaceutical was allowed to buy the rights to it; now it costs $1500 per dose.

And anyone who would charge a "hefty price" for the "intellectual property" that could save people's lives deserves the kharma they are certainly accruing. But, then, it's exactly this mindset that has engendered this and similar shortage crises. Profits over humanity. Greed over good. Money over all...this is no way to live.

Nationalized drug production? Do you really think our politicians are any less greedy than big Pharma or big Oil. what rock are you living under!

Obama caused this particular malady. It's never happened in nation before...not ever.

sprytling...Oh no? Check out what happened during WWII. Drugs were rationed so that the military could be cared for as needed. You don't know much history as your posts seem to indicate.

Now...how exactly did the government back then demand rationing of drugs people of your ilk today would call for impeachment if that was attempted?

It'a all about GREED!

I agree! It's all about Liberal Government Greed!!

Or, more likely, the Food and Drug Administration has slowed production at Obama's direction. If we get upset enough about it, we will create a demand for Obamacare and for big government to step in and regulate the pharmaceutical industry. Try that more likely scenario. Don't any of you have a clue? He wants to be reelected. He needs to be seen as a hero. This is contrived.

sprytling...Accusations you can't prove in a court of law are known as slander and libel. Prove there is a directive from President Obama to slow production. Give us the citation and Executive Order number. Can't, can you? Is it because it's a fat lie?

Peter Kotos...Not always true that the poor have no option but to become slaves of the rich. Less is more...Keep telling yourself that the next time you buy something you can't do without for another week or two. Keep telling yourself that when you see a price tag that you know is outrageous and the item is not worth the price.

I don't pay big time for anything. If I need a repairman for home repairs, I shop around and get estimates and then when I make a final decision, I go with the not just the cheapest but the one who offers a fair price for value.

All of us can do a little something to alter the direction this country is taking. My way is to humble down a whole lot more. Most of us have a tendency to coerce ourselves into believing we buy because we "need" rather than because we "want".

When it comes to prescription drugs, I make sure that I can get them generically and without having to go through my HMO who charges $40 a copay for a single 30-day supply. There are many drug stores locally who have lost business to the big box stores with inhouse pharmacies. These smaller stores do have discount programs. You just have to shop around.

Doesn't surprise me a bit, that is all America is about. GREED! Everywhere. Part of the reason I retired to Thailand.

Bobl: Although I'm glad you're already gone, I'd have been more than happy to have helped you pack.

Are the pedophiles as active as reported over there?, the way the tv journalists were reporting on the subject, it seemed a little over the top. Very sad, regardless.

Okie ... don't believe all you read in the Daily Jokelahoman or on Fox News.

As a result we are losing more and more of out intelligent populace to countries that actually appreciate them and are stuck with the dregs like "okie" at the bottom of the barrel. Name says it all, idiot. This is the *real* reason for the brain drain in America...

It is NOT the drug companies. The FDA is in control...under an Obama Marxist Government.

More likely a sad commentary on Liberal Marxists who use the illnesses of others to withhold medication so that he can step in and be the hero, just in time for elections. What do you think this is? It's a re-election ploy.

sprytling...The FDA doesn't have the right to tell any drug company what it can and can't produce or in what volume. That's the job of OSHA and the EPA, which you'd know if you actually knew the functions of the FDA. The FDA issues all regulations on safety of drugs produced in the USA for food as well as drugs. Besides, I understand that Boehner and McConnell are the ones pushing for that since they both are in the back pockets of Big Pharma.

Next anti-Obama rant?

"Become free market capitalists, TEA Partiers, since you aren't now....and quit calling yourself TEA Partiers when you're just neocons."

Love,

Libertarians

Start your own business. Use you God given abilities to think of something you can do to earn a living. Stop feeling sorry for yourselves and thinking others owe you a living. We had to do it, you do it now. Get out of Mom and Dad's house and on your own. The government is not now your mom and dad, you are an adult. Work!!!

work where? what jobs!

Make your own job. Do you have a truck? Put an ad in the paper to haul things out. You can buy jewelry from 22nd street in Broadway, and re-sell it in flea markets, and online, at a profit. Do you have a particular knowledge? Go online and create a study group and charge admission to teach them. Teach someone to cook if you know how. Can you sew? Make dresses or do alterations. I can't fine a taylor anywhere and I don't know how to sew....but I'd love to learn.

Think of the talents that God gave to you and then use them to create what you'll love to do. Make your own job and stop depending on the government.

jackstraw...So...that's what Bachmann was doing when she was a foster parent to 21 kids, took federal and state money to support them and made a business of foster care for herself and her old man. I guess she paid out of pocket for 21 kids prescriptions too...roflmao.

Republicans, thy name is hypocrisy. Note the number of forked tongues on them.

Ewent absolutely. I knew a family who also made a business out of foster children. Handicapped children bring in more money and severely handicapped even more. They financed their lifestyle this way buying a large house, new vehicles, a boat and who knows what else. The people around them praised them to high heaven for being such wonderful christians. I knew that it was a business, so to speak. These children (young adults) were fortunate to get into a good home but don't think for one minute that they would have been there had there not been a sizable profit.

That would be Obama and his Liberal/marxist government.

OK. So that's it, huh?

Bushbama 2012!

Lobbiest should be a crime, it is called bribery! Most countries it is illegal but not in America.

Bob is right. No collectives have rights. Not unions, churches, corporations, or rotary clubs for that matter. Only individuals have rights. End monetary and gift lobbying that fund our politicians and allow only individuals to fund elections (and there is already a limit on the total amount you can give now). Lobbying to just inform a Congressperson is fine...but if any donations, gifts, trips, dinners, or any money at all is involved it's just legal bribery.

BTW, I'm libertarian, not a leftist. All true free market capitalists agree on this point, as does our candidate Ron Paul. He recently was asked by Change.org if he thought Mitt Romney's comment "corporations are people" was correct...he said no, Romney was wrong, and that corporations do NOT deserve personhood.

Vote Ron Paul, the only candidate in this election that gives a damn about the common (wo)man...and that includes the neocon you liberals support, Obama.

Pro...I plan to vote for Ron Paul. I am a Democrate who will not vote again for President Obama.

Pro- Thank-you for your service!

You are so right. Thanks for your service to the country.

Bob1 make up your mind....do you live in Thailand or America?

I was there, and the Republicans passed the prescription plan, under protest. We could not afford it and they knew it. But they saw it as a first step in in getting socialized medicine. It came from the liberals...more freebies.

Proindividual, corporations are owned by individuals. Until I became ill, I owned and operated an LLC from a room in my house. I did mortgage closings as a notary public and I also did online secretarial work. An LLC in my state is the same as a corporation, except that our taxes could be paid via our personal taxes, like income, and like a sole proprietorship. But we had the protections of a corporation. All that means is that my assets, my home and my cars were protected from a lawsuit in the event that something went wrong with my business. It didn't exempt me from any taxes, and in fact, corporations pay double taxes.

People think that you mean multi-million dollar corporations when you simply throw that word out there. There are thousands of small businesses like mine was that incorporated and are called corporations, but don't make millions of dollars. If we had grown to any extent, I might have employed a couple of people. But the new regulations make it so expensive to have an employee, that there was never an option. I couldn't create a job or two, instead, when I got ill, I had to close down my business.

sprytling...You couldn't afford employees? Wow...that's funny in my state, NJ, if you hire an employee you keep on for a year, you get a $5,000 tax credit. That's doesn't count the number of tax credits President Obama, the man you constantly blame, has created for small businesses.

So any small business that can't succeed today is either incompetent or they simply don't know enough about the small business advantages this President has taken great pains to put in place. President Obama knows that small businesses, called corporations or not, are the heart and soul of the US economy.

When the jerks of venture capitalism swallowed up more than half this country's small businesses, the economy tanked. You can't pay off the federal debt if you hand out exemptions and tax credits to corporations earning record profits year after year. All that does is reduce the amount of federal revenues coming into the government to pay our bills.

This is why President Obama was banking on the increases in small businesses through a number of provisions to help them get back on their feet. However, he can't be the financial consultant for ignorant people who won't even help themselves.

Bobl-1819708,

You realize that then price of a drug is pro-rated due to the development, regulations, & licensing cost...

The countries that require extensive testing, and have more regulations are charged more... Just like Canada drugs cost less that the same drug in the USA...

I also live in Thailand, the medical care is great and inexpensive. Though I question the effectiveness of some of the knock-offs or copy-cat drugs...

Since you now live in Thailand, you no longer have a dog in the fight - so do everybody a favor and go suck eggs or something. You cut and ran, so why are you still bellyaching about what's got nothing to do with you? All you are is the human equivalent of a musquito....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzz.

AC Robertson..Very true but I buy drugs from France, Germany and the U.S. and up here in ChiangRai They are very reasonable. The question is why drugs from the U.S. cheaper here than in the U.S.? That makes no sense.

okaokie... Actually I am a disabled veteran...I did my part, how about you? Nothing to do with me? Well, excuse me but I have 3 childred living in the states. That reason enough?

Bobl-1819708,

Like I stated, the drug prices are pro-rated by country, due to their regulatory requirements. If the country drives the prices higher due to EXTRA regulations, the citizens of that country get to PAY MORE...

Some countries like Thailand, Vietnam, India, etc, have received cut rates because they hosted the clinical trials. Like the Anti-HIV/AIDS trials that just ended in Thailand...

My Ex of 20+years was/is a microbiologist and my daughter is a Bio/Chem Engr. The daughter worked for NOVARTIS, during the verification process of their new facility.

My house/farm is outside of Udon Thani and we're currently living outside of BKK because the youngest daughter is now receiving engineering classes @ Rangsit...

Fortunately for me - neither myself or the wife are dependent on ANY medications. So I have little chance to compare medication prices...

What I want is not to move to CHIAND MAI, but to have a strictly regulated pharmaceutical industry. We spend big bucks of our tax money underwriting their research and we get for our money: (1) "shortages" to drive up profit; (2) outsourcing jobs and manufacturing to low-wage countries; (3) yet another version of Viagra [any shortages there BTW? Or only on drugs that are vital to staying alive?; (4) blackmail using the very real events of shortages of drugs necessary to staying alive.

Some things should not be profit driven. This is one of those things.

And, of course, do not forget all the subsidies, tax incentives, and simple grants in the billions of dollars to drug companies.

I don't think we're getting enough for our investment.

Perhaps we should nationalize the pharmaceutical industry?????

The quality of drugs in Thailand and other countries is not what it is here. They do not do the clinical studies that save lives to the degree that this country does. What you all want is every service you can get, but without having to pay for it. We have insurance companies who pay a large percentage of the cost of drugs. That is not what this is about. It's about a contrived shortage of life saving medications. You all know that we can't get name brand drugs anymore, thanks to the government and insurance companies. It's not the drug companies doing this, it's the government, in an attempt to have us call for them to stockpile the drugs and take over the pharmaceutical industry. It's a set up...don't fall for it.

Littleoldlady3: We should NEVER nationalize any business or iindustry. They can't even run the government right, how are they going to run that business?

No, that's what this is about. It's a contrived shortage, other than orphan drugs. Orphan drugs are drugs that not alot of people need and it's expensive to produce. In that case, I'm not sure, but I think government does subsidize in some cases. But what has happened is that the government allowed generic drug companies to out right steal the patents of bigger drug companies. Now, has the drug companies been willing to pay blackmail, I'm sure that would not have happened. But they didn't. So drug companies got more and more regulations and they were losing business to generic drug companies too. The Food and Drug Administration of our government largely have the power here, the drug companies don't.

Taxpayers don't pay taxes to support drug companies. The drug companies use their profits to pay for the creation of the drugs, the research, the development, the machinery it takes to produce them, the training necessary to teach the pharmacists about the effects of the drugs, the testing of the drugs on aniimals, then the testing of the drugs on humans, clinical trials, and research into new and better drugs, salaries and taxes, on taxes, on taxes. They then pay for the production of those drugs and the efficient shipment of orders. Please tell me why they should not make their money back and why they should not make a hefty profit? You benefit from those drugs....are they supposed to do it for free out of the goodness of their hearts? How far do you think altruism is supposed to go? And if they do that, how long do you think it would be before they went out of business and we no longer had those necessary medications at all?

Do you really think the United States Government is going to go into the drug business and efficiently do all of the things that the drug companies do? They've already taken away the drugs that made them the most money. This under the guise of competition. well, the generic companies don't have to compete. The government has allowed them to steal the intellectual property of the larger drug companies, in the name of cheaper drugs. But they don't do what the larger companies do. They dont' research. They don't create. They just produce the stolen drugs and sell them to us through the government.

Obama and the Food and Drug administration have effected this drug shortage in a hundred different ways, but mostly because Obama needs something to be able to look like a hero just before election. He needs to have us demand that the government take over the pharmaceutial industry, and take care of us poor Americans. He needs us to see him as a hero and reelect him. Don't buy into it...I know I don't and I'm on ten different medications because I'm seriously ill.

So your solution is to give absolute authority to the government? A smaller group with the power of coercive controls would be much worse than what remaining free market we have left. Bear in mind, we are a mixed economy, not pure free market. If we were truly free market, things would be much better now.

B*ll S**t.

We'd have more greed.

America is in trouble because of greed...I agree. The greed of those who don't want to work for a living, who live off their parents or the government and want to take what hard working people have earned and put it into their pockets. The unions who force prices up, or threaten to close down businesses...those are the greedy people...not the ones who have gotten educated and worked for a living and ought to be able to keep what they earn.

I smell TEA...

Sprything? Is tht you?

sprytling...Spoken like a true patriot of the insular Lone Star State. Did you know that the lion's share of people on welfare are in red states? Did you know that the lion's share of those collecting welfare are also in red states? That red states have the highest number of high school dropouts, unwed mothers and joblessness? And please...don't let's try to make the Lone Star State look more braggy than it already is. Texas can only increase the number of jobs if it continues to hire illegals which it does and admits to publicly.

Madoff was more educated than you'll ever be. Should he have been allowed to keep that $62 billion he "earned"? He was another of those Wall Street schyster fund managers, brokers and dealers who can only "earn" their money by using everyone else's to provide their fat commission checks and other rip offs.

So...guess now that all those ATS (Alternative Trading Systems) and ecommerce systems have replaced the hotchas with the fast computers and faster spread sheets, it's goodbye to all those commissions. It won't be long before Americans can do their own investing on their own computers without having to pay some Madoffer a commission.

As for the SEC, when it looked the other way at Madoff, it lost big time in investor confidence it may never be able to get back. When the SEC trashed 9,000 inquiry files into bank and Madoff investigations, its name now is now Stinky Egregrious Corruption.

Bobl...Not to worry...Middle Class Americans are now tapped out thanks to greed, corruption and power freakers. Their next crash is one that will have bodies dropping all over Wall Street come this December.

The only ones who have the most to lose are those with the most. Those who have nothing, lose nothing.

Do something about it! Support your local gun shop! Only way people are ever going to get the government to listen. That, the government understands after 60 years of wars. That is the ONLY thing they understand. But i think Americans are to apathetic.

Don't be stupid Bobl.

The US gov't shouldn't be paying pharma companies to relocate to the US, they should be paying US workers in plants OWNED by the US gov't. We continue to sell ourselves dearly to corporate interests instead of taking such matters into our own more than capable hands.

But they were forced out to begin with by government regulations and outright theft.

AC Robertson...First of all, the government, read taxpayers, are not responsible to help businesses. If they can't start a business on their own, how stable are they? I can see helping them out when venture capitalists have eroded all of the small American businesses. I cannot see helping out a corporation that is earning huge profits year after year. That only forces taxpayers to be complicit in running businesses over which they have no control but their taxes feed for profits.

ewent,

The US Gov can build and outfit ALL the companies they want. But if the people are not trained in how to make the equipment operate and the Gov does not own the patients on the processes. These plants will not produce the needed product...

The drug companies moved because of the Government policies and were not going to move back to the USA. Bush II did this so the USA would have the capabilities to manufacture the needed medications in the USA. Or did you forget the shortages of flu vaccine and the USA having to rely on foreign countries for supplies, during the early 2000s...

AC, meet ewent.

Ewent, meet AC.

AC is one of those that we may not always agree, but I respect his point of view more often than not.

They just plain don't care. It is all about money, nothing else. You think some drug company cares about people??? Hell no, it's about $$$$$$$.

No I don't think drug companies give a flying f*** about anything other than money.

The household cleaner company Johnson & Johnson and the drug manufacturer are two different companies. They happen to share the same name but they are NOT related.

You're wrong.

Business is in the business of making money. If they dont' make money, they can't conduct clinical trials, they can't conduct research for more and better drugs, they can't pay their employees, they can't pay all the governmental taxes, and we won't get any drugs because they'll be forced to close down.. But then that's the goal of the government...to close them down so they can be taken over. Instead a great many have been moving out of this country. For the last two years, since Obama took office, all insurance companies and hospitals have been forced to use generic drugs. They have literally stolen the patents belonging to the drug companies and produced their own. Okay...so will the all the regulations, why would the drug companies stay here, and why in God's name would they have any sympathy for a country of people who want something for nothing? This liberal/marxist government being created by the Obama administration has a strangehold on business. All business should have some regulation, but now it's not regulation it's outright control. The government is trying to squeeze every dime out of every business. The result is no jobs and more and more rationing, as prices climb and climb. Energy prices are through the roof, and we're shipping our food overseas, while our prices keep climbing. Think about it people. Have I said anything untrue here? Get the liberals out of our government. We can't afford them anymore.

You are full of @!$%# if you blame liberals, when the FDA has been conducting, regulating and subsidizing clinical drug trials for decades.

Stop talking out a Tea Party piehole. Compassion is not your strong point. Nor is your suggestion viability.

Flawed logic and a vested/biased interest IS your strong point.

http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/RunningClinicalTrials/default.htm

Additionally:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home

Now, quit lying and go away.

Nah, just stupid, But really full of himself.

This is the free market at work!

Umm, except it's not at all, leftist loon.

See, there are laws that prevent you from buying drugs from overseas and even from other states....that's called leftist protectionism, not free trade aka free markets.

This is what teachers unions have done to our public education system....well that and the monopoly the State holds on the curriculum.

So, to sum up for the intelligent human beings...monopolies caused by government laws meant to create those very monopolies are apart of leftist protectionism, or "fair" trade....not, I repeat NOT, free trade and free market capitalism.

The fact the drug companies (monopolists) only exist because of the government you worship Fred, is why we have price gouging, shortages, and lower quality drugs. If you took off your Che T-shirt long enough to read a few a books, you might know that we have nothing close to a free market thanks to the ignorant mob full of people just like you.

Wake up.

proinfibiduals version of a "ftrr market" is to drive all Americans except those at the top down to the level of the third world.

"the third world pays their employees less, so working Americans have to accept the same wages"

Pro-individual-whatever:

Get your facts straight! It was the big-PHARMACEUTICAL corrupted GOP-congress that shoved laws down all our throats that made it -- for example -- illegal for outside countries to re-import drugs they bought here, to compete with the same drug company's grossly inflated prices for the very same drugs!!

Whats happening now is exactly the same thing the CORRUPT GOP-protected big-oil wall-street speculators do to us routinely. It is the GOP that blocks, subverts of renders impotent all consumer protections to protect their elitist-masters...

If any single group should face treason charges, iit is FIRST and FOREMOST the high-treasonous GOP. Why? Because the GOP is not a political party anymore and has not been one for several decades now. The GOP is a wall-street owned and elitist managed CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE, pure and simple.

St. Reagan, Republican idol, was evil but not stupid..............How's that trickle down working for us now??? Where are the jobs that Bush promised when he cut millionaire's taxes and when the latest batch of Republicans and Tea party candidates were campaigning last year..................Oh I forgot..........the real plan was to just blame Obama.............Again!

Yes and Obama is to blame for the most and recent part of this fiasco====what are you brain washed??

Government and drug company subsidies to ensure that less fortunate people in the third world have access to these drugs is why there is a shortage. If we eliminate these charitible exports it would mean more for us.

Anyone who thinks the GOP is responsible for giving away free or low cost meds to the rest of the world has obviously been drinking Obama's bathwater. Handouts have always been part and parcel of the democrat's wealth redistribution schemes.

Anyone who thinks that ANY of the events unfolding in America over the past 60+ years and, especially, the events unfolding now and across the world, aren't the fault of the incestuous relationships between government(s) and Big Biz is hysterically blind. Your television tells you what to think, your commercials tell you what to buy, your politicians tell you lies, Big Oil has you captive, Big Pharma has set you up to such a degree that there are an AVERAGE of 5 active prescriptions for every American walking around out there today and ALL for the benefit of their shareholders, the Military Industrial Complex wages war so that you will live in fear and be MORE than willing to give up your freedoms little by little, you see events over "there", like riots, unfolding and yet STILL refuse to believe they can and will transpire "here" because you've been brainwashed, dumbed down and convinced that your political party has YOUR interest in mind. YOU ARE NOW UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER!

It's not IF it exists, it's WHEN it takes full control. Do you people NOT remember Bush #1 called for "A NEW WORLD ORDER?" Well, he's not the only one. . .they ALL do it/ have done it, and their paws are padded not only by lobbyists for Big Biz et al, but they turn around and pad the paws of other nations to be complicit. ERGO, the reason foreign aid monies will NEVER be cut and why these senseless wars we're fighting will NEVER really end. If you doubt that, you might want to consider our presence in South Korea for 5+ decades & the fact that we have somewhere north of 700 military bases in strategic places all over the world. Tell me: Do ANY other countries on this planet have military bases HERE? Run with that one for awhile.

Get over your political party fascination folks, we've been sold down the river LONG ago and it was and is a bipartisan effort and goal. Your health, your livelihood, your home, your education, your food, your RIGHTS, are simply not important in the grand scheme of things. Stockpile all the guns-n-ammo you please, but you will NOT stop this from happening. When the $ finally tanks, not even the wealthiest person who isn't in on the "big plan" will have a prayer.

With the looming Federal mandate to blacklist Internet sites, I would expect that individual censorship will become the way of the day. Indeed, there will come a time when we won't be posting so opening on forums like this for fear of reprisal. I just pray that don't review the achieves and send the thought police after those of us who actually have & have posted original thoughts on websites like this one. YIKES!

God speed, Fellow Americans!!!!

Then if this is true, we need to be preparing. Get to know your neighbors. Those of us who can afford it, buy ham radios so we can communicate. We are Americans and no communist/marxist government is going to destroy this nation for long. Vote the liberals out of office and if the conservatives don't turn things around, vote them out too. We still have the vote.

You are still full of lies and false protestations.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home

http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CommissionersPage/PastCommissioners/default.htm