I always thought the only reason they can choose to charge so much is because countries respected pharmaceutical patents. In a trade war the PM could just say that they won’t be enforcing any domestic generic drug copies.
No, actually this is the benefit of collective bargaining. When you have a single entity that represents millions of customers, you can say "we'll take this, but only if you drop the price by half and not raise it for ten years" versus an insurance company that is not only incentivized to take a cut, but often only represents thousands, with the biggest that represents hundreds of thousands being able to point at the little guys and say "we're still cheaper than them" even if they still charge a hundred dollars a month for insulin.
This is one of the advantages of public healthcare, and why it's so important we preserve it. Hell, it benefits those that go to private hospitals as well, as everybody benefits from the lower drug prices, not just those who go to public hospitals. Well, except those that sell the drugs, but that's why so many conservative leaders try to cut public healthcare, because they're in bed with somebody in the distribution chain, and even if they're not, they're easy to bait into taking such measures.
In the short term perhaps. Longer term, our problem is the lack of continued innovation by American drug companies. As the article states, we need to drive investment ourselves. We cannot do that through forced generics though.
We do not need US style price gauging but drug companies need to make money in Canada if we want them to solve future health problems.
There are research agencies in Canada that develop drugs and other medications, they will need more funding because the current US is not going to see 2026. Or it will see 2026 but there will be a civil war either brewing or all out happening.
I do not think patents will really be a concern on things coming from the US, but there will be research done in Canada.
I doubt Canada has the capacity to totally pick up the slack. To do so, we need a lot more investment.
Which is why I am saying that I am not sure pirate generics are the answer.
Less dependence on the US is a win either way.
Canada doesn't need to pick up the slack. The rest of the world, including Canada, needs to pick up the slack. This could take a while, but there are drug researchers in Canada and Europe, and other parts of the world. They are being presented with an advantage when Trump incentivizes investment in their existing pharmaceutical industry. Ramp up time may be an issue, especially if investors think America is going to return to its old behavior within 4 years. If they don't believe that, they may well invest heavily and early, which could be a win for all of us.
(2 of the 3 first COVID vaccines originated outside the US.)
I think between Europe, and Asia, Canada can do a reasonable job of contributing to proper healthcare research.
I’d even go so far as to say American kids who have medical issues are welcome to come here for discounted treatment, but adults are on their own until the current government is toppled.
Can you provide stats, exact quotes, original sources, for scrutiny?
That sounds like a you research project.
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