Prescription Ripoff.

       Here's something I don't get. Well actually I get it, I just don't like what the answer is. In a comparison with other developed countries, the U.S. spends substantially more for prescription drugs. So, now, if you're wondering why, the answer is somewhat simple. Primarily the reason for high prices for drugs in America is because of the pharmaceutical industry's political clout.
       Lets face it, what country would require that their medical care program must pay full list price for all drugs. Well Medicare and Medicaid is not allowed to negotiate the price of any drug. Here we are, the largest market for prescription drugs in the modern world and we can't negotiate a fair price.  We basically have to accept whatever the manufacturer say's it wants. That's called political clout.
For example, Amgen's and Glaxo's Prolia costs little Norway $260 for a syringe while Medicare pays $893, or the cancer drug Rituxan costs Norway $1527, but Medicare pays $3678.
       The Pharmaceutical Industry claims that without the high prices Americans pay, they would have to curtail their R & D research. Notice they don't mention the huge profits they make off us. They're not gonna curtail those . So we fund worldwide drug research. Fair enough, but then if they need America so much, why do they insist on pulling out of America in order to save taxes? Many have moved their headquarters, at least on paper, offshore. Fair is fair enough, but this practice ain't fair.
       How come we allow these sort of things to take place? It's called political clout. When an industry greases enough hands, namely politicians, anything is possible. If this industry and many others want to keep proffered status with America, they ought to be required to pay taxes in the amounts appropriate to the business they do in America. Then they can move their headquarters anywhere they want.