The United States announced yesterday they’re planning on allowing Americans to bring prescription drugs from Canada across the border.
Barret Procyshyn, a pharmacist at the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy, isn’t a fan of the announcement.
“This is terrible for Canadians because there’s already a drug shortage in Canada and having Americans tap into our prescriptions supply could be devastating.”
Procyshyn doesn’t think Americans will come to Dauphin too much, but he does think Americans will come to Manitoba and the rest of the country.
He says it will create shortages at their wholesaler, which will raise costs for Manitobans because pharmacies will have to buy straight from the name-brand medication.
Procyshyn notes this wouldn’t be sustainable for Canadians.
“The US market is 10 times Canada’s size if not more than that. We cannot supply the US with the medications that they need. Everyone has to understand Canada is not the United States’ pharmacy. We just can’t do it, we don’t have the supply to do it, and right now we don’t even have the supply to take care of Canadians, never mind Americans coming across the border and accessing our supply. It’s going to put a ton of pressure on the system and you’re going to see consequences in Canada if this does occur.”
With the weaker Canadian dollar, this makes it cheaper for Americans.
Tune in at 12:40 for the full interview Isaac Wihak did with Barret Procyshyn.
