Aidan Hollis1. 1. Department of Economics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. ahollis@ucalgary.ca
Abstract
PURPOSE: This article compares pharmaceutical prices paid by governments in the United States and Canada. METHODS: The comparator prices are those of the Federal Supply Schedule and the Ontario Drug Benefit List, for frequently prescribed brand name medicines. RESULTS: The price differential between Canadian and US prices is shown to be relatively small, when considering prices charged to governments. CONCLUSIONS: Buyer power exercised by governments is very important in reducing pharmaceutical prices and comparisons between retail prices in the US and government prices in Canada are therefore inappropriate.
PURPOSE: This article compares pharmaceutical prices paid by governments in the United States and Canada. METHODS: The comparator prices are those of the Federal Supply Schedule and the Ontario Drug Benefit List, for frequently prescribed brand name medicines. RESULTS: The price differential between Canadian and US prices is shown to be relatively small, when considering prices charged to governments. CONCLUSIONS: Buyer power exercised by governments is very important in reducing pharmaceutical prices and comparisons between retail prices in the US and government prices in Canada are therefore inappropriate.
Authors: Walid F Gellad; Sebastian Schneeweiss; Phyllis Brawarsky; Stuart Lipsitz; Jennifer S Haas Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2008-06-26 Impact factor: 5.128