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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Solon who wrote (40109)	9/11/2005 8:51:29 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

I've been in Puerto Rico where your drug heroes hold huge conventions to celebrate the fact that they don't pay any taxes. And when was that? Got the text of the speeches? You're being a bit too cute here, Solon; you know what he is addressing regarding drug R&D costs.

To: Solon who wrote (40109)	9/11/2005 8:54:53 PM
From: SiouxPal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

I sell the pharmys in P.R. I think they are 90% tax free. Maybe have changed.

To: Solon who wrote (40109)	9/12/2005 1:18:43 AM
From: Peter Dierks	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

"Those who claim there are 50 million Americans without health care clearly do not understand the subject upon which they are corresponding. I generally do not care to correspond with those who prefer to remain ignorant." Perhaps you would better address that comment to someone else. When you gratuitously address it to me it makes it appear to the casual reader that I had taken such a stance. To leave such an impression is unfair at the very least. I did not intend to be insulting towards you. Your point is well taken. Please accept my apology. "Another additive to our medical costs are the free loaders from other countries that fail to pay a fair share of the research and development costs for new drugs." What does that mean? I've been in Puerto Rico where your drug heroes hold huge conventions to celebrate the fact that they don't pay any taxes. You think your drug industry is adding to your medical costs? What a thought? Citizens in countries that impose cost restrictions on the sale of drugs within their borders are effectively transferring the cost of R&D to countries that do not have such rules. Effectively, the United States bears the brunt of almost the entire drug R&D for the whole world. It is an unfair shirking of responsibility for short term political gain in the countries that impose it. You want ME to pay for some research and development? Why don't YOU pay for it?? I pay for the drugs I purchase just the same as you do. Americans do pay for the R&D. You pay the price after the transfer tax back to American consumers. They can raise the price if they want. Once politicians start tinkering with price controls, they don't back off until there are consequences. My predication is that Canada will start to experience drug shortages as more American governmental units try to game the drug cost by re-importing "Canadian" drugs. Once the shortages are noticed, government officials will blame on the drug companies. Eventually, Canadian citizens will get upset, and demand that drugs be available, which will cause Canada to either pay a larger share of R&D or restrict exports.