As mentioned before, some U.S. states are taking into their own hands what "should" be federal issues. It appears that this goes not only for environment, but for health care as well. The State of Wisconsin Prescription Drug Resource Center explains how Americans can buy prescription drugs from Canada, despite it not being legal according to the feds. On its home page it quotes WI governor Jim Doyle: "If the federal government isn’t willing to take on the drug companies and fight for more affordable prices, states like Wisconsin will have to lead the way."

Other states such as Minnesota, Illinois, and others are also joined in the fray, as are officials on local levels (e.g. the mayors of Boston and Washington D.C); Rhode Island is even moving to make Canadian pharmacies legally licensed there.

The FDA's responses to these initiatives are instructive to read, as well.

This is good, but so timid. The reason our states can go to Canada for cheap drugs in 2004 is that 30-some years ago, Canadian provinces took the lead in building a universal health system eventually adopted by their federal government.

If Jim Doyle really wanted to take on the drug companies and the short-sightedness in DC, he'd start campaigning for the same system, as recommended by the unions in our state (yes, I'm from Wisconsin too).

Posted by: Mike McCallister on November 24, 2004 3:37 PM

Except that we'd be trading our current problems with the ones Canada now experiences. I don't think that's a good deal.

Posted by: Jesse on November 27, 2004 9:31 PM