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Articles: Bradley S. Quon, Rafael Firszt, and Mark J. Eisenberg A Comparison of Brand-Name Drug Prices between Canadian-Based Internet Pharmacies and Major U.S. Drug Chain Pharmacies Ann Intern Med 2005; 143: 397-403 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Authors’ Response to Letter to the Editor

Mark J. Eisenberg, Rafael Firszt, MD MBA, Bradley Quon, MD MBA   (28 November 2005)

Only a Minority of Patients Can Use Canadian Drugs

Michael B Rothberg   (10 October 2005)

U.S. and Canadian Brand-Names Prove Costly

John M Hayes, Allan Prochazka, MD, MS   (28 September 2005)

Authors’ Response to Letter to the Editor 28 November 2005
Mark J. Eisenberg, MD MPH Jewish General Hospital/McGill University, Rafael Firszt, MD MBA, Bradley Quon, MD MBA Send rapid response to journal: Re: Authors’ Response to Letter to the Editor meisenberg{at}epid.jgh.mcgill.ca Mark J. Eisenberg, et al.	We agree with Dr. Rothberg that Americans should not have to look north of the border to access more affordable medications. The underlying premise of our article was not to promote the purchase of Canadian pharmaceuticals, but rather, to quantify and highlight the differences in brand-name medication prices between the two countries. The average 24% price savings per unit cited in our article should serve as a benchmark for Congress to target in lowering brand-name medication prices domestically for all Americans(1). Canadian style strategies to lower medication prices, including price control through the Patented Medicines Price Review Board (PMPRB) and the use of market-based competition through provincial drug reimbursement formularies, have proven to be effective. Importantly, Americans can look within their own borders to observe the benefits of drug coverage formularies. As Dr. Rothberg points out, this strategy has been used successfully by the Veterans Administration to lower medication prices for US government employees(2). Congress will need to find creative ways to extend a formulary-based strategy to benefit low-income class Americans who are without prescription drug coverage and who ironically pay the highest prices for their medications. 1 Quon, et al. A comparison of brand-name drug prices between Canadian-based Internet pharmacies and major U.S. drug chain pharmacies. Annals of Internal Medicine. 143(6):397-403, 2005 Sep 20. 2 http://www.pbm.va.gov/PBM/prices.htm. Accessed November 17th, 2005 Conflict of Interest: None declared
Only a Minority of Patients Can Use Canadian Drugs 10 October 2005
Michael B Rothberg, MD, MPH Baystate Medical Center Send rapid response to journal: Re: Only a Minority of Patients Can Use Canadian Drugs michael.rothberg{at}bhs.org Michael B Rothberg	After comparing prices at American and Canadian internet pharmacies, Quon, et al conclude that “Americans purchasing brand-name medications from Canadian Internet pharmacies can realize substantial savings.”(1) Although this is undoubtedly true for a small number of individuals, it in no way addresses the needs of the two-thirds of Americans who feel drug prices are unreasonably high. As the authors’ point out, re-importation accounts for less than 1% of the US market, yet even this amount of reimportation has led to rapidly rising prices at Canadian pharmacies over a 6-month period. The companies that manufacture the drugs would rather cut off all supply to 30 million Canadians than let Canada set the prices for 300 million Americans. Pharmaceutical companies have already begun limiting sales to Canada, and Merck announced in January that it would no longer sell to Canadian pharmacies that export to the US.(2) The Canadian Health Minister, aware of the threat to Canadian supplies, last summer proposed legislation to prohibit bulk exports to US citizens without Canadian doctors.(3) Even though a majority of Americans favor Canadian-style price controls, industry lobbying makes the passage of such controls unlikely. An American-style alternative exists. In extending prescription drug coverage to Medicare patients, Congress missed an opportunity to lower drug prices by allowing the government to negotiate prices on behalf of 40 million Medicare beneficiaries. The Veterans Administration routinely obtains discounts of 16% to 41% using this strategy.(4) Rather than turning to the Canadian government to secure drug discounts for us, we should repeal the anti-competitive language in the current Medicare law. References: 1. Quon BS, Firszt R, Eisenberg MJ. A Comparison of Brand-Name Drug Prices between Canadian-Based Internet Pharmacies and Major U.S. Drug Chain Pharmacies. Ann Intern Med. 2005;143(6):397-403. 2. Lauerman J. Merck Shuts Off Canadian Pharmacies Selling to U.S. Bloomberg.com. 2005. Available at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000082&sid=ai9RdezyHWRE&refer=canada. Accessed October 7, 2005 3. Duff-Brown B. Health minister says Canada to restrict export of medications. Boston Globe 2005 June 29. 4. Sales MM, Cunningham FE, Glassman PA, Valentino MA, Good CB. Pharmacy benefits management in the Veterans Health Administration: 1995 to 2003. Am J Manag Care. 2005;11(2):104-12. Conflict of Interest: None declared
U.S. and Canadian Brand-Names Prove Costly 28 September 2005
John M Hayes, MD Denver VAMC, Allan Prochazka, MD, MS Send rapid response to journal: Re: U.S. and Canadian Brand-Names Prove Costly JOHN.HAYES{at}MED.VA.GOV John M Hayes, et al.	To the Editor: In the September 20, 2005 issues of Annals, Quon et al. present an interesting analysis of potential financial advantages of purchasing brand-name medicines from Canadian internet pharmacies (1). From the patients’ perspective, the omission of generic drugs from this study may greatly limit the usefulness of these data. Patients will be concerned about the total price of medicines prescribed, not whether or not they are using a brand name or generic drug. We have previously shown important generic savings in a U.S. internet pharmacy with a typical cardiovascular regimen (Metoprolol 50mg bid, Lisinopril 20mg qd, Lovastatin 40mg qd) (2). Using similar methods as Quon et al’s study at Pharmacychecker.com (3), we found our annual generic regimen cost to be 56% less than the same regimen from a Canadian based pharmacy ($460 vs $1052). Other studies have remarked on the broad absolute savings that generic substitution patterns could have in the U.S. (4) While brand name medicines may be less expensive if we look across our northern border, the first step U.S. internists should take when looking out for the financial impact of prescriptions is to consider the many evidence-based equipotent generic options here in this country. John M. Hayes, MD Allan Prochazka, MD, MS Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center Denver, CO 80209 The views expressed within this work are the private opinions of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the Denver VAMC or of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 1. Quon BS, Firszt R, Eisenberg MJ. A Comparison of Brand-Name Prices between Canadian-Based Internet Pharmacies and Major U.S. Drug Chain Pharmacies. Ann Intern Med. 2005;143(6):397-403. [PMID: 16172438] 2. Hayes JM, Walczak H, Prochazka A. Comparison of Drug Regimen Costs Between the Medicare Prescription Discount Program and Other Purchasing Systems. JAMA. 2005;294(4):427-8. [PMID: 16046648] 3. Pharmacychecker.com. Accessed at www.pharmacychecker.com on 27 September 2005. 4. Potential savings from substituting generic drugs for brand-name drugs: medical expenditure panel survey, 1997-2000. Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jun 7;142(11):891-7. [PMID: 15941695] Conflict of Interest: None declared