This letter is written in response to the article about online Canadian drug sales, “Complaint challenges legality of Canadian company’s medication sales to Mainers,” published in the newspaper on April 8.

As we all know, prescription drugs are at phenomenal costs and rising. The alternative of buying in Canada is necessary. In Canada, the government puts a cap on what prescription drugs may cost the consumer. These drugs are exactly like ours. We need our country to enact a similar policy. The world is becoming poorer from these escalating costs by greedy pharmaceutical companies. Insurance companies and drug stores also must pay the high costs, like the consumer.

As far as making the importation of prescription drugs from Canada to the U.S. illegal, we are entitled to buy what we can safely afford.

A number of years ago, I purchased one of my prescriptions through a fine Canadian company, which would not sell to anyone without their doctor’s prescription. It was exactly the same as my pharmacy here in the U.S. I talked to my local pharmacist about it prior to ordering. All was well for some months, until the postal carrier told me he wouldn’t deliver again because it might be illegal.

If they meant to scare me, they did, and I began again to purchase locally. Now there is a generic for my prescription, but I am not sure that it is quite as effective and of course, it has become more costly.

Our representatives in Congress serve the pharmaceutical companies well. Why should we have to pay these exorbitant prices in the U.S., when there is a safe and cost-effective alternative in Canada?

Scare tactics are simply wrong!

Mary E. BourqueHallowell


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