Generic drugs

Dear Ms Laverdière,

Re: Your private members bill C-398 -- An act to amend the Patent Act (drugs for international humanitarian purposes)

I promised not to mention this again, but you leave me no choice.

Although this bill died in parliament on a free vote, you and your colleagues keep bringing it up in Business of the House and in Question Period. Stop it please. This parrot is dead.

Maybe it's a good time refocus and ask why the millions of Canadians who have to pay for their own generic drugs are still paying $5 or $10 for a drug that cost $1 in Europe or New Zealand.

Last Wednesday night, Bill C-398 was defeated in the House of Commons by a free vote of 148-141.

Seven Conservative members voted for the bill. The Liberals, NDP, Bloc, and Green party all voted unanimously for the bill except for those individual members who didn't vote. I will let others debate how free this vote really was.

The vote on C-398 was close. I'm just happy at the way it turned out.

Step right up folks! Free humanitarian aid right here! Help save Africa! Help end the scourge of AIDS. It won't cost you a penny, folks. Step right up. Sign here. Free Humanitarian aid!

Now we don't ask you for money to buy the life saving drugs. And the CGPA members are not actually donating any products or money towards this worthy cause.  The CGPA members Grandmothers Advocacy Network merely ask that Canadians help open up that market. All that is needed is to amend Canada's patent laws for humanitarian purposes.

Bill-398 is a sham. KILL BILL 398.

Who says that Canadians aren't politically engaged?

The campaign to pass Bill C-398 continues. The raging grannies of the Grandmother's Advocacy Network have their petition campaign in full swing now.

MP's from across the country and all parties have proudly stood in the House of Commons to proclaim their support for this sham bill.

This campaign to pass Bill C-398 is nothing but a brazen effort by Canada's home grown Big Pharma to open up a new world market for cheap copycat drugs.

Kill Bill 398. Tell Canada's Big Pharma to play by the rules.

There is a private members bill -- Bill C-398 An Act to Amend the Patent Act -- that is making it's way through parliament. It has broad support from members of all parties, the media and many well meaning organizations.

And why not? They say this bill is about noble things: helping Africa; fighting AIDS; it's about humanity itself. And it won't cost Canadians a dime.

But Grandma, what big teeth you have!

C-398 is really a cynical ploy by Canada's Big Pharma to rig the laws of Canada (again) so they can profit handsomely from an emerging world market for cheap, high quality, copycat drugs.  Made in Canada and made legally, right?

BILL C-398 is a FRAUD, lawyers and lobbyists dressed up in Grandma's clothing. KILL BILL 398.

It's been a whole year since my last blog.  Maybe this will make up for the long absence.

This started out innocently enough. On a recent trip to Calgary, I went to the local pharmacy to  check on the prices of 3 prescription drugs I use; one is taken once a day, another taken only when I need to; and the last one, a needle, only in an emergency. 

The Calgary prices were outrageous. So I set out to find out why. That was almost 2 months ago.  The blog turned into a manifesto. I hope it's not too boring.

Included are 69 links, 2 dozen images, 3 sound bites from long forgotten songs, and a couple of talking heads.