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08/01/06                                        

Why Canada? The Statistics

With Americans spending billions every year on prescription drugs and prices continuing to rise, more and more people are looking to Canada for prescription drugs. Between 2000 and 2010, prescription drug spending per American is expected to rise at an average annual rate of 11.2 percent. Canadian prices are low because the Canadian government controls prices. The Canadian government caps the amount a consumer can be charged.

 

We found when Consumer Reports looked at a few of the savings. Zocor which is a popular cholesterol drug, costs about $208 in Canada and $434 in the U.S. Prevacid costs about $379 in the U.S. and costs just $197 in Canada. These are just averages, but in general a person will save over 50% or better on drugs from Canada.

Why? Canada has a cap on drug prices.

We've found many popular medications like Flagyl which fights against infections, Xenical which aids in weight loss and for men's health, Viagra, Propecia, Levitra, and Cialis, satisfactory and safe. Other medications like Retin-A which helps reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles are all much cheaper in Canada , and prices like we've found will allow many of us to buy other needed items with the savings.

We share the same concerns as you when researching Canadian Pharmacies. We wanted to know things like..."what is the difference?" "Are they safe?" , are they legit?" The strictest of all countries is Canada when it comes to drug safety. Canada is usually one of the last countries to have a drug approved due to their strict standards.

What Other Benefits in Shopping Canada?

There are also benefits to ordering over the counter items from Canada. For example in some cases, some items in the United States are prescription only which require you to go to the doctor and ask for a prescription and then go and pay dispensing fees before you get the item. Some of the items that are non prescription in Canada are, Clarinex, and Zyrtec. After this is all done, you end up paying a lot of money and you spent a couple hours of your time.

 

A decision as important as where to purchase your medications could come down to this...it could lead to major savings for you and your family to research the choices you have. And Canada is a choice.

Summarization

We feel that XLPharmacy Canada is one of the safest and lowest priced Canadian Pharmacies available from today's online market, and one we are satisfied to share with our own families and with you. With thousands of popular medications on their shelves, we definitely see it as a one-stop resource. We hope you will too.

 

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08/03/06

America doesn't Negotiate Drug Prices

In case you haven’t noticed, a large wall is being built around the American people to ensure that they remain prisoner to the drug industry. It’s easy to understand why drug makers want to force Americans to buy their products in the United States. Ours is the only industrialized country that doesn’t negotiate the prices the drug companies may charge. As a result, a 90-day supply of Fosamax sells for $105 in Canada but $210 here. 

It’s less easy to understand why our leaders in Washington have sided with the drug makers and against the American people — less easy but not impossible. They’re well paid by the drug industry, which employs more than one lobbyist for every member of Congress. 

Before there was a Medicare drug benefit, Washington didn’t dare mess with elderly Americans seeking affordable drugs from Canada. And since the start of the program this year, the Canadian drug mail-order business has dipped somewhat. Of course, the Medicare drug-benefit law forbids the U.S. government to bargain on behalf of the beneficiaries. (That keeps taxpayers, who subsidize the program, on the hook for the higher prices.) 

Some older people didn’t want to join a Medicare drug plan or prefer the simplicity and savings of buying their drugs from Canada. And many younger Americans who lack drug coverage use Canadian pharmacies to avoid domestic price-gouging. 

U.S. Customs says that it is stopping the imports from Canada to protect Americans from the harms of counterfeit drugs. Oh, sure. Actually, drugs ordered from licensed pharmacies in Canada are monitored by Health Canada, a government agency that is probably less corruptible than our own Federal Drug Administration. 

If our elected officials in Washington truly cared about the well-being of the American people, they would have long ago done something about unfairly high drug prices. That way more people would have been able to afford the drugs they should take and poor people wouldn’t have to cut their pills in half to extend their prescriptions. 

(One state, Nevada, has thumbed its nose at Washington and has licensed four Canadian pharmacies to sell drugs to its residents. Several other states may follow its lead.) 

Members of Congress have heard an earful from people enraged by the federal seizure of their medications. Both the Senate and the House have approved amendments to the Homeland Security appropriations bill that would bar Customs from using federal money to confiscate drugs. 

Do not assume, however, that this obnoxious policy will soon stop. The bills will go into conference committee, and if history is any guide, drug-industry lobbyists will cement shut the Canadian door to lower drug prices. So much for free trade, or even freedom. 

And what about you red-blooded Americans out there? Are you going to sit passively as the back-room boys try to preserve the ludicrous ban on buying Lipitor from Canada? Americans, you really don’t have to put up with this.

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08/05/06

The Medicare 'Doughnut Hole'

The infamous Medicare Part D “doughnut hole“, or coverage gap, is looming for beneficiaries that are beginning to exceed their initial coverage. Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that nearly 7 million seniors will face the harsh reality of paying full-price for their prescriptions once they exceed $ 2,250 in retail drug costs. To reach the 95% catastrophic coverage, patients must pay over $ 3,600 in out-of-pocket expenses. And since most patients will not be spending through the doughnut hole they will be needlessly paying exorbitant prices for their medications.

Solution

In fact, many seniors are reporting that they will be forced to stop taking their medications during the gap which could have serious health consequences. Licensed Canadian pharmacies like XLPharmacy Canada are a welcome solution to that dilemma by offering savings of 40-80% on the very same medications.

Canada Alternatives

Shopping Canadian when you hit the doughnut hole may mean the difference between staying on your medications and not being able to afford them at all. Most patients are finding that paying full retail price for several months is senseless, if not impossible. Ordering from Canada, in that situation, is the perfect answer.

What’s the difference?

The bulk of Medicare beneficiaries will slide into the doughnut hole in the fall of 2006. However, the issue has already become a painful reality for some. Just four months into the program, Mildred Lindley has hit the point in her coverage where she has to pick up the full cost of the medication she takes to keep her bone marrow cancer in remission. As a result, her two-month supply of Thalomid shot up from $40 to a whopping $1,300.

“If I can’t get it, I guess I’m here until the Lord takes me out. That’s all I can do, because there’s no way I can afford it,” said Lindley, an 80-year-old from Jonesboro, Ark. “I’m in the hole all right.”

The Legalities (not)

Despite what political opponents of Canadian online pharmacies are saying, Canadian Pharmacies are open for business, have ample supply and our mail is getting through. You don’t need to suffer through the coverage gaps, the Canadian option is better than ever. US Senators in many states have legalized this option for their populace. The hype is in fact just that…hype.

Safety

XLPharmacy Canada has been safely dispensing medications to Canadian & U.S. residents for many years. All Canadian medications are Health Canada approved and are dispensed by licensed pharmacists.

Some Options for Seniors

  • Ask for free drug samples from their doctor

  • Seek out discounts at local pharmacies or on the Internet

  • Some may want to get their drugs from Canada

And Medicare recipients are issued this caution: Canadian purchases do not count toward the $3,600 out-of-pocket spending requirement for those in the gap. Some low-income seniors may still be forced to choose between food and medicine, even though they’re paying into the Medicare program.

Those seniors who chose to see how the Medicare program really works and have not yet signed up may learn from the pitfalls suffered by others. Those who ignored the May 15 deadline will pay a penalty, but they may benefit from witnessing the shakeout in the first year.

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08/15/06

GENERIC DRUG GROWTH

For the first time this decade, generic drugs accounted for all of the growth in prescriptions dispensed by Canadian pharmacies last year while brand-name medicines declined marginally, according to a survey.

Data collection agency IMS Health Canada said retail prescriptions rose 3.7 per cent last year, the slowest growth since 1995.

It attributed the slowdown to, among other things, nine brand-name drugs that faced generic competition for the first time in 2005, including Pfizer Inc.’s antibiotic Zithromax and GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s antidepressant Wellbutrin.

“The good news is that increased use of generic drugs is helping to curb Canadians’ prescription drug costs,” said Jim Keon, president of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA). “The bad news is that loopholes in drug patent laws continue to force governments, employers and consumers in Canada to pay for higher-priced brand-name drugs for longer than they should. “The impact of generic competition can be dramatic.

Glaxo’s Canadian sales of Paxil, for example, were $222-million in 2002. In 2004, the first full year of generic competition, total sales of the antidepressant had fallen to $154-million, with generics accounting for 58 per cent of prescriptions and 54 per cent of sales, according to IMS data obtained from industry sources. Paxil sales in 2005 totaled $115-million, with generics controlling 88 per cent of prescriptions and 85 per cent of sales.

A similar fate could await Pfizer’s Zithromax, which had sales of $55-million in Canada last year. Generics competitors arrived in November, grabbing sales of $1.3-million in the last two months of the year, IMS said.

Pharmacist Alex Wong said customers at his Meadowvale Pharmacy outside of Toronto do not object to generic substitution, which is required under Ontario’s drug insurance regulations. “We tell customers that this is an interchangeable product at a reduced price. I think in 25 years, I’ve had only three people object.”

IMS also said total spending on pharmaceuticals by pharmacies and hospitals reached $16.6-billion last year, an increase of 7.3 per cent, the lowest level of growth since 1996.
In 2005, IMS said generic medicines accounted for 43 per cent of all prescriptions but only 13.8 per cent of total drug spending. Mr. Keon’s association estimates that if the use of lower-priced generics matched the 53-per-cent market share in the United States, it would save Canada’s health care system up to $500-million in the first year alone.

Ian Therriault, a senior industry expert for IMS, said the pharmaceutical market in Canada is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 5 to 8 per cent over the next five years, with generic competition and government cost-cutting continuing to hurt brand-name manufacturers.

However, several promising new drugs are expected in 2006, including diabetes therapy Exubera, hypertension drug Caduet and Cymbalta for depression.
“We also expect growth will be fuelled by oncology medications coming from the biotech sector, such as Avastin,” Mr. Therriault added.

Original Article - Written by LEONARD ZEHR BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORTER

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09-16-06

How the Fed Seizures Make Americans Unwell

The stories about the government seizing legitimate prescription drugs from Canada seem a bit unbelievable at times. We couldn’t understand how a government could so easily side with pharmaceutical companies over its citizens trying to buy their medicine at an affordable price.

The stories are true however, and we read a story about a gentleman from Madison Lake,  who is in the process of appealing his case to federal authorities. The cholesterol drug, Prevencor, has always been shipped to him from a legitimate, low cost Canadian pharmacy for six years.

Now, under an apparently new directive, the government has begun seizing his pills. Some 10 percent of the medicines are now being intercepted, and Americans face a daunting government bureaucracy to get them returned. Of course, what makes this bad situation even worse is the ever-increasing cost of prescription drugs that send many of our seniors and other various age Americans to Canada in the first place.

In fact, studies show that Americans now purchase some $700 million of medicine from Canadian pharmacies. The government has limited the supply and made it more difficult for honest citizens to pay an honest price to get their medicines. Congress should be outraged, and we are glad to hear that they are. They recently voted 68-32 to overturn the seizures of medications at our borders. We thank some of our members of Congress for trying to do something to help.  Finally.

After receiving thousands of complaints they’ve recently inserted an amendment into the Homeland Security funding bill that would prevent customs from seizing prescription drugs,  passing legislation earlier this year barring the practice.

However, we know that the bill is now in a conference committee where it will undoubtedly be subject to heavy pharmaceutical industry lobbying, and where members of the conference committee can avoid accountability, and we who literally ‘pay the piper’ must wait for that outcome as always...in slow fashion.

First District Congressman Gil Gutknecht has long supported a free market for prescription drugs, favored allowing Canadian imports and has complained to the FDA about the practice of seizing Canadian drugs. We believe he should now use his seniority in the Republican Party to make sure this item gets through the conference committee, that is totally dominated by his party.
Let’s encourage him with a few letters shall we? And while we are at it...lets write them all.
It’s just the right thing to do.
Congress Emails: Click here for the 540 members of the 109th Congress

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09-17-06

Clock Ticking On Medicare Fix

Louis Sciuto, 59, readies a syringe prior to injecting himself with insulin. The state allocated $3.7 million in emergency drug coverage for people like Sciuto who lost benefits under Medicare Part D, but it might not be enough.  Until this year, Medicaid paid his doctor bills and covered the 25 prescription drugs he takes to manage his health. That changed Jan. 1, when a glitch in the federal Medicare Part D drug program cost him his Medicaid benefits - including coverage of the immunosuppressant drugs that prevent his body from rejecting the transplanted kidney…(Read more at TBO.com)

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09-20-06

Major Medicare Part D drug plans could suddenly drop out of program next month

An untold numbers of seniors could find out next month that they will either have to change prescription drug plans or lose coverage altogether because plans participating in the Medicare Part D program could suddenly drop out of the program...read more...
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09-26-06

Smoking May Contribute to Erectile Dysfunction

Smoking a pack of cigarettes per day can increase the risk of impotence by up to 40 per cent, it has been claimed.

Researchers surveying men in Australia concluded that erectile problems increase in direct proportion to the amount of cigarettes smoked.

Those smoking less than 20 cigarettes were still 24 per cent more likely than non-smokers to join the ten per cent of men who suffer from erectile dysfunction.

"The good news is that quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of circulatory problems such as impotence," said Deborah Arnott, director of the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) charity.

"Young men who want to avoid the embarrassment and distress of impotence can help themselves by quitting smoking before such problems arise."

Australia's Study of Health and Relationships also found that cardiovascular disease and old age increased the risk of impotence, but, as Chris Millett from Imperial College London said, such causes "can feel distant".

Mr Millett hopes to provide a wake-up call to the third of men aged 20-24 who smoke in the UK.

"By highlighting this link between smoking and erectile problems we may be able to motivate these men to quit," he said.

Translating the 9.1 per cent impotence ration to the UK population suggests that over 700,000 British men aged between 30 and 50 may suffer some form of impotency.

The Department of Health recently launched a high profile publicity campaign with posters aimed at highlighting the effect smoking has on sexual performance.

XLPharmacy Canada

09-27-06

Another Hole in the Donut Hole

Like many of the problems with Medicare D, here comes "another hole" in the doughnut hole  illustrating the poor decisions made by our legislators.

We are already aware that the list of problems with Medicare Part D consumes page after page of documentation. First, the 10-year $400 million budget President Bush came up with to persuade those in Congress to support the drug plan was at least $300 million upwards to $900 million short. Then, when it was made known that there are laws which prohibit the government from negotiating volume pricing with pharmaceutical companies, the public and politicians started to howl. But it came to late.

The government began to execute legislation and found the enrollment process was not only confusing and tedious, but the choice of plans that were offered was overwhelming. So Medicare hires tons of people to try and help senior citizens through all these insurance options, prices and coverage's.  So much for a great January 1 kickoff.

After months of agony, most Medicare beneficiaries were signed up and most were happy to be saving money on their drugs. Of course, that was right before pharmaceutical companies raised drug prices on brand-name drugs at four times the overall rate of inflation.
Why doesn't Congress look at the VA example which has shown over a long period of time that the government has the ability to negotiate group drug prices to save money. Comparing the 50 most commonly prescribed drugs, analysts earlier this year found that in 49 cases the VA price was significantly cheaper - $220 a year cheaper, on average. In half of the cases, the Medicare price was 58 percent higher or more.

Maybe a few dollars could be saved by negotiating lower drug prices for the largest group of prescription drug consumers in the country. And maybe by reducing the number of plans, the enrollment process could be simplified.

Medicare Part D is broken. It is unnecessarily expensive, unnecessarily complex and unnecessarily tilted in favor the pharmaceutical companies instead of the taxpayers.

Canada is still an option for those who wish to drive...now Congress finish helping those who don't live next door to Canada get some much needed help. Ban all border seizures coming from reputable licensed Canadian Pharmacies.

XLPharmacy Canada
 

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10-04-06

Homeland Security Stops Canadian Drug Seizures

The Department of Homeland Security late yesterday agreed to stop confiscating prescription drugs mailed to American consumers from Canadian pharmacies.  For nearly a year, the White House has been punishing seniors for filling their prescriptions at lower Canadian prices. Now it looks like the government is getting out of the business of harassing these consumers.

Word that the administration is ending U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s role in the controversial drug-seizure program came in an e-mail from a Homeland Security official to congressional staff late Monday. Since last November, some 40,000 Americans have had their prescriptions seized by Customs’ agents.  It was discovered that federal agents began seizing drugs just two days after enrollment started for the Bush administration’s Medicare Part D program.

Only yesterday - after nearly a year of probing and prodding led in large part by Senator Nelson - Customs said in an e-mail to congressional staff it was halting its involvement in the seizure of Canadian drugs. The decision means the Food and Drug Administration resumes the job of overseeing drug imports from Canada, as it did prior to last November.  Nelson said today he still wants the congressional probe by Sen. Collin’s committee to seek answers on why the administration started the medicine seizures in the first place.

Nelson’s previous letter to Sen. Collins seeking an investigation of the government’s program to confiscate consumers’ medicines is attached.

DHSemail.pdf
 pdrugseizureltr.pdf

XLPharmacy Canada

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  10-06-06

Blue Pills - Pink Pills - Men and Women Feel Pain Differently?

Indeed, it does seem kind of weird that genetics or gender could play a role in anything as elemental as being hurt.

But in the last decade or so, psychologists and other pain researchers are coming around to a new definition of just what is pain — and how the experience looks to be different in men and women…(read more)

 

XLPharmacy Canada

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 10-10-06

Are They Changing The Rules Again?

Just as you are finally getting comfortable with that nightmare of a program, Medicare Part D, the insurance companies change the rules. It appears there are many changes.

Now, only generics are allowed in the gap. Were you enticed into a program with possibly the hope you wouldn't notice that things are not what they used to be."

Gert Stecker wrote in the Sun-Sentinel Times, "I'm sure I heard a chuckle in the background...(read more)

Some plans are changing...it may mean they will no longer be available. Premiums could be going up or down. New medications are going to be covered, there are new plans to choose from, and the so-called donut has changed. Which all means, seniors enrolled in the program may want to change their coverage during the open enrollment in November as well.

Last year, Medicare Part D included 15 different private insurance companies, with 41 plans to choose from. This year, there are 22 different insurance companies, and 53 different plans.

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10-12-06

Misleading Statements by HHS - Medicare Drug Premiums Going UP

 

The estimate released by HHS is misleading and disguises significant cost increases for Medicare Part D coverage. The average Medicare premiums will increase by over 10% in 2007, with premiums for the lowest-priced plans increasing over 40%.

A letter from Rep. Waxman to HHS Secretary Leavitt explains why the HHS claims are erroneous and requests the estimate released by HHS is misleading and disguises significant cost increases for Medicare Part D coverage.

A letter from Rep. Waxman to HHS Secretary Leavitt explains why the HHS claims are erroneous and requests that HHS immediately revise its estimates of Medicare Part D premiums to reflect the true cost increases senior citizens will face in 2007.that HHS immediately revise its estimates of Medicare Part D premiums to reflect the true cost increases senior citizens will face in 2007.

Read Rep Waxmans Letter Now

XLPharmacy Canada

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Are Americans Really Paying More?

Recent research by the Public Interest Research Group has shown that uninsured Americans pay 60 percent more on average than what the federal government pays for the prescription drugs that were surveyed.

Regionally, uninsured Americans in the Northeast pay the highest prices for the 10 drugs that were surveyed, followed by the West, South, and Midwest. Among the cities that were surveyed, the uninsured in Boston, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Hartford (CT) pay the highest prices. Des Moines has the lowest prices among the cities that were surveyed, but uninsured Des Moines residents still pay 46 percent more than the federal government for the same drugs.

Uninsured Americans pay twice as much for drugs purchased at local pharmacies as they would pay if they purchased the same drugs from a Canadian pharmacy.

Compared with a 2004 survey, the cost of the nine prescription drugs we surveyed increased by 11 percent, 81 percent faster than the general rate of inflation between 2004 and 2006.

What Can an American Do?

There are a few common sense solutions:

Increase the Availability of Generic Drugs.

Cheaper generic drugs could save Medicare, Medicaid and everyone billions of dollars. The FDA should have a larger budget devoted to approving generic drug applications in order to ease the substantial backlog. Loopholes that allow drug makers to hold on to their patents and slow the introduction of generic drugs to the market should be banned.

Establish Prescription Drug-Buying Pools.

There could be drug-buying pools at the state and multi-state level to allow individuals, businesses and the government to use their combined buying power to negotiate lower drug prices.

Limit Drug Makers’ Marketing Tactics.

It is also obvious that drug makers’ marketing tactics encourage doctors and consumers to request the newest and more expensive medication, regardless of proof about its superiority to the older, less expensive drug. There should be a limit of direct-to-consumer advertising, restricting marketing to doctors, and placing strict limits or outright bans on gifts from drug makers to doctors.

End Secret Deals with Drug Makers.

There should be accountability for Pharmacy Benefit Managers which negotiate deals with drug makers on behalf of insurers, state health programs, and large businesses.

Legalize Prescription Drug Importation.

Continued efforts to keep prescription drug importation legal as an interim solution for the millions of uninsured consumers who cannot afford to purchase their medications in the United States.

Read the Full Article at CONNECTICUT PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP

XLPharmacy Canada

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10-22-06

2007 Social Security checks a disappointment again!

 

Last week at least 16 million seniors awaited the SSA’s announcement regarding the annual cost of living adjustment for 2007. These are the seniors who rely on their Social Security checks for 90 percent or more of their income.

The annual cost of living adjustment is essentially a small raise that appears on the first Social Security check of every new year, and for 2007 it will be especially important as these same seniors are still reeling from double digit increases home energy prices, as well as rising health care costs.

But they will be sorely disappointed. The federal government has failed them — again.

According to the Social Security Administration, the average Social Security check will increase by just $33 in 2007 — simply not enough to cover increases in gas, energy, health care and other essentials.

What is amazing is how this raise is figured by SSA in the first place.  The government figures spending by seniors based on a consumer price index that tracks the spending habits of young, urban workers. Why would they base these figures on younger workers who have far different spending habits than seniors?  Seniors, who must use a far greater percentage of their income on health care and prescription drugs, both of which have seen enormous price rate increases.

Though not the whole answer, a step in the right direction might be to use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), which more accurately tracks the buying habits of seniors.

We must support the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2005, H.R. 3601, which would incorporate the CPI-E into the COLA. Currently, 108 members of Congress have signed it.

We must urge Congress to vote to change the CPI so that all Americans can better afford their golden years.

Even worse, for the first time, a large number of seniors might actually receive smaller Social Security checks next year than they are currently receiving due to a little-known provision of law...

(Read more on this article here…)

(Write all 540 Congress Members here…)

XLPharmacy Canada

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10-18-06

Wal-Mart's Drug Listings

It sounds really good, really humanitarian. However those medications usually are not that expensive anywhere you get them. After debuting the program last month in Florida, Wal-Mart has expanded the low-cost generic prescriptions to Virginia this week.  About 314 generic drugs are on the list.  See the list HERE.

The problem with this list is many generic drugs covered by insurance have a co-pay of $4 or less. We would imagine most of the drugs on the list, if you ran them through the patient’s insurance, would come up to four dollars or less.

XLPharmacy Canada is still a very good choice for over 1000 medications that somehow just don't show up on Wal-Mart's $4 list.

XLPharmacy Canada

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 11-11-06

Democrats Can Make a Difference in Drug Costs

Shares of most major drug makers and health insurers fell last week on concerns over tougher regulations on prescriptions. Democrats have said many of these firms have reaped huge sales and profits from the new drug benefit.  This is money that could have been passed on to taxpayers in terms of savings or even to seniors in terms of better drug benefits.

The law creating the Medicare Part D drug benefit, added in 2003, did not allow the Medicare program to negotiate prices directly with manufacturers, as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does. The VA has long been known for winning price concessions from drug companies with direct negotiations.

A nonpartisan study has shown costs are more than 10 percent higher by having private insurers involved in the benefit coverage instead of having the government manage the program on its own.

The Democratic Party's takeover shifts the policy landscape for health-care providers. The Democrats will put Medicare Part D 'in play' by proposing the removal of the clause called the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 that prohibits the federal government from negotiating drug prices directly with manufacturers.

How do the Drug Companies and Campaign Recipients feel about this?

Not to be underestimated, however, is the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, which contributes heavily to campaigns of both parties. And President Bush, a Republican, would have the authority to veto any legislation while his appointees, who run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services can stall on employing provisions for negotiating directly with drug makers.

At the very least, Democrats have gained the power to hold hearings to discuss the profits that drug makers, health insurers and pharmacy benefit firms have made since the Medicare benefit became widely available to seniors this year.

The drug industry also argues that regulating drug prices would hurt consumers and patients because it would harm drug makers' budgets for research and development. Pharmaceutical companies also say price controls could lead to supply shortages.

America's pharmaceutical research companies lead the world in discovering new cures and treatments for patients. The new drugs that save patients lives are a result of the billions of dollars and years of research and development that pharmaceutical companies invest.

XLPharmacy Canada

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  11-21-06

Dealing with Hair Loss

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

Thinning hair or a receding hairline can be a real problem. It affects the way people perceive you, and makes you self-conscious about your appearance. Most of the time, the disappearing follicles are not caused by any mistake on our part... our loss of hair is in our genes. You might think about using Propecia as it has been proven to arrest the receding hairline. Besides using Propecia, we have listed five proven practices you can use to complement Propecia and grow more hair.
Inversion

One of the major causes of baldness is a lack of blood flow to the scalp. This may be caused by shrinking capillaries or scalp muscle tension. The simple solution is to reduce scalp tension and invert the body so more blood flows to the head. You can do this by letting half your body hang off the edge of a bed. Simply lie on your belly and allow the upper half of your body to hang towards the ground. Your head being the lowest point. The other easy way is lie down on the floor and prop your legs up on a chair. Lie flat on the floor and put your calves and ankles on the seat of a chair. Your legs should be at a ninety-degree angle.

Nutrition

You are what you eat. Your body works with whatever nutrients you give it. So if you feed it fat and oil, the body is going to store it. Fat and oil is no good especially if you have an oily scalp. Switch to a lean meat, high fiber diet, and take multi-vitamins that contain biotin and zinc (two essential nutrients for hair growth). I know it's not easy to change the way you eat, especially when you have cravings or have been eating a certain way for years. But think of it as feeding your hair the nutrients it needs to grow strong and beautiful.

 Vital Energy

This concept is a bit esoteric, but it is a universal truth. Your body runs on vital energy. The Chinese call this Qi. The Indians call it Prana. Now this energy has two forms: Yin and Yang. Yin energy is cooling, like water. Yang energy is hot, like fire. You must keep the two in balance in order for the body to be healthy. Most people with thinning hair, have an excess of Yang energy. They like to eat high Yang energy foods like meat and nuts. Understand that hair is associated with Yin energy. So you've got to eat the cooling stuff like fruits, vegetables; soybean, tofu, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, bananas and more. All the stuff you didn't like to eat as a kid. Reduce the intake of fatty foods like burgers, pizzas, steak, fries, deep-fried chicken and anything with excessive oil.

If you don't like having to chew through all that fruit and vegetable fiber, we've got a million dollar tip for you: GET A BLENDER. You can put your fruits and selected vegetables in it; add ice, throw some yogurt on top (and water, if necessary), press blend and presto! Instant smoothie. This one technique can help you consume five times more fruit and vegetables than you would in a normal day. Imagine the nutritional power of taking in one apple, two pears, one banana, one carrot, one tomato and three stalks of celery, all in one smooth and delicious drink!

Cut Toxic Substances

It makes sense that if you're trying to grow hair through a healthy body, you've got to remove the toxins from your system. And the major intake of toxins used by the majority of the population are tobacco and alcohol. If you smoke - quit. If you drink - reduce or refuse. Removing these two poisons will stop the toxic build-up in your system. Only then will your effort to consume nutritious foods and balance vital energy not be wasted by these damaging habits.

 Become Stress-Free

In your effort to ensure maximum blood flow and nutrition to the scalp, one natural factor can inhibit your progress - stress. Stress can cause your scalp muscles to contract while you furrow your brow in frustration. This stops the blood flow to your hair roots. Without the blood to deliver nutrients, your hair follicles die.

Whether you're a working person or a student, everyone experiences stress. It's a natural part of life. The difference between those who feel free and happy, and those who are frustrated, is simply the ability to relax and let go of worries. In this crazy fast-paced world of ours, the ability to let go and center oneself is becoming a rare commodity. Many people simply don't know how to avoid getting stressed. We can't teach you the whole technique here, but we can point you in two golden directions to removing stress from your life.

#1 Learn to Meditate

That's right. Meditate. Learn to sit down and let all your thought flow past. Neither criticizing nor worrying about what you should do about it all. Simply let it pass. Whether you learn from book, from audio, or a formal class. It's one skill that will bring you a lifetime of stress-free living. Join a yoga class.  (50% of yoga class members from what we have seen are "men").  Even pro-sports players know yoga is the perfect warm up before and/or after a heavy-duty workout.

 #2 Get Organized

When you have a plan, you reduce the amount of worry in your mind. Having a concrete step-by-step plan of what you need to do to overcome your problems provides a sense of security and certainty. No longer are you a lost ship at sea because now you have a map. All you need to do is paddle to get to where you want to go. The value in organizing yourself is you reduce stress and increase productivity. Not only will you grow more hair, you'll be a greater success because of it.

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  11-28-06

Drug Reimportation Legal - It's About Time

 

The long-running standoff between government regulators and, well, virtually everyone else over legalizing reimportation of more affordable prescription drugs from Canada and other industrialized nations appears headed for resolution now that the Democrats are taking over Congress.

All we can say is, finally!
In recent years, millions of otherwise law-abiding U.S. citizens have been driven to break the federal law banning the purchase of prescription drugs from foreign markets, mostly Canada, because the cost can be two-thirds or less compared with the same drugs purchased domestically.

Public support for legalizing reimportation is overwhelming. An August Wall Street Journal-Harris Interactive poll found that 80 percent of Americans favor allowing the practice. Two-thirds of those questioned cynically said they believe the restrictions are in place mainly to benefit drug companies.

Right now, one of the most affordable sources is overseas, mail-order pharmacies. Congress should remove the legal barriers and the FDA should ramp up efforts to monitor the overseas sources millions of Americans are already relying on.

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  12-12-06

The latest on what is happening in Congress and Medicare Part D

1.      Members said the break in coverage was needed to cut program costs, but plan sponsors and pharmacy benefit managers continue to record double digit earnings from the program.

2.      It appears that the creation of the doughnut hole was ‘set the law’ for a special interest hand out to big business.

3.      Even more disturbing, as our seniors face increased Medicare premium expenses next year, they are going to find fewer plans that offer brand name drug coverage in the doughnut hole.

4.      Another twist?  In what was deemed a "cost savings" move, Congress indexed the coverage gap for inflation. This means next year seniors will pay even more for drugs, as profits soar higher for big business. In 2007, when a senior reaches $2400 in total drug costs (up from $2251 this year) coverage will stop and then resume only when the senior spends a total of $5,451.21, which is an increase of $351.21 from this year's $5100 total.

Congress recognizes there is something truly rotten in Medicare Part D now what do they plan to do about it?

Remember…Canadian Pharmacies are still a legal and cost saving alternative to this shameful mess.

XLPharmacy Canada

Safely saving you over 80% on your medications

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  01-05-07

The Other Side of Viagra: Turn Off for Some Women?

Millions of men have been able to enjoy sex again thanks to the famous little blue pill, Viagra. For years it was assumed that a man's rejuvenated sex life would be happily shared by his partner. But in a series of recent studies, researchers are noticing that the passionate romance with anti-impotence drugs does not always cut both ways. (Read More at ScienceDaily)...

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  01/12/07

Democrats Going After Medicare Drug Costs

Democrats and Republicans in Congress were expected to battle today over who can cut a better deal on prescription drug prices for seniors - the federal government or health insurance companies. Democrats and Republicans in Congress were expected to battle today over who can cut a better deal on prescription drug prices for seniors - the federal government or health insurance companies.

Threatening to veto the legislation, President Bush said Thursday that competition is already reducing prices for seniors and creating an environment that encourages the development of new drugs…(Read More...)

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House Negotiations on Prescription Costs

  01-16-07

After an at times contentious debate, the House on January 12, 2007, approved the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007 (H.R. 4), legislation to require the HHS Secretary to negotiate prescription drug prices starting in 2008. The Medicare Part D program currently prohibits such negotiations. The mostly partisan vote was 255 to 170. (Read more…)

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  02-13-07

Medicare D Drug Plan Comparison Page

Part D is the Medicare prescription drug plan. It went into effect on Jan. 1, 2006. In order to receive Part D benefits, if you are on Medicare you must enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) or Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD). If you are dual eligible, that is, enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, you are automatically enrolled in a Part D prescription drug plan.

Unlike original Medicare (Parts A and B), Part D coverage is not standardized. Each Plan Provider has the option to choose what drugs they cover and at and what level.

Medicare has made available an interactive online tool called Prescription Drug Plan Finder that will allow you to compare drug availability and costs for all plans in a geographic area.(www.medicare.gov/pdphome.asp).

Your employer may offer to retirees its own drug plan that may be better than Part D. In a standard plan, Part D covers some of the cost of medicines up to $2,400 per year. There is a $265 deductible (in 2007), and then participants pay 25 percent of covered costs up to a $2,400 initial coverage limit.

XLPharmacy Canada

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  03-01-07

Medicare D's Ever-Increasing Cost Trend

The whole point of having Medicare drug insurance is to protect against the unexpected, and we are finding a lot of unexpected cost increases and each time drug costs go up under these plans, seniors are pushed that much closer to the brink of the doughnut hole coverage gap.

Prescription price increases just show how important it is for Congress to require drug price negotiation to get the best deal for seniors, as well as offer a consistently priced, Medicare-administered drug plan in addition to the private plans.

Seniors and taxpayers deserve better Medicare drug insurance coverage and one that has the best possible price, they must see consistent prices throughout the year.

A new report from Consumers Union finds that it is getting harder and harder if not nearly impossible -- for Medicare beneficiaries to have confidence that their private Part D insurance plan will not change or increase prescription drug costs for the year they are locked into the plan.

For a copy of the full report, go to http://www.consumersunion.org.

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  04/05/07

Direct Negotiation with Pharmaceutical Companies

AARP on Wednesday asked members to call their senators in support of legislation that would allow the HHS secretary to negotiate prices directly with pharmaceutical companies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit...

The committee likely will consider such legislation next week, with a vote by the full Senate possible on April 16...(Read more)
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  05/09/2008

  The New Viagra Inhaler - VR004

New Inhalable Viagra that works in 60 seconds...

A British company has developed an inhaled version of the sex drug Viagra - which works in just 60 seconds.

The wonder drug - known by its medical name VR004 - is absorbed instantly into the bloodstream through the lungs.

Traditional sex pills take up to an hour to work because they have to be digested. (read more...)

XLPharmacy Canada and Valtrex-Herpes.com

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  07-26-07

Confusion About Herpes?

 

Herpes symptoms seem to cause a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about genital herpes symptoms in particular.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that a certain condition or symptom they have may just be a minor irritation and don't realize that it actually could be herpes. Some of the symptoms of herpes actually do have the same look or feel as other minor health conditions.

The bottom line is that genital herpes is one of the sexual transmitted diseases.  If you have any symptoms of genital herpes you may be very concerned about passing any symptoms of herpes to another person. This is something that you have to be aware of and take action on.

The biggest thing to remember if you have any symptoms of herpes is that prevention and treatment of any herpes symptoms is key to preventing the spread. But even if you have genital herpes it doesn't mean you have to stop having sex altogether.

Some of the more common symptoms of herpes you may experience include: itching, burning, tingling, bumps, or swelling in or around your genital area.

Some people with symptoms of herpes may just mistake their herpes symptoms for a skin irritation, bug bites, razor burn, jock itch, yeast infection symptoms, the result of wearing tight clothing, sweating, heat rash, an allergic reaction, etc.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because your symptoms of herpes do not seem to be very painful or go away within a few days that it probably wasn't genital herpes in the first place.

Genital herpes symptoms can come and go at any time.

This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make and unfortunately many people do make this mistake all the time and therefore do not seek the advice of a doctor. This will result in your symptoms of herpes coming back for years.

Herpes symptoms can appear in different areas of a man or woman’s body including: the buttocks, anus, thighs, vagina, vulva, penis, scrotum or testicles.

Here are some of the symptoms of herpes that require you see your doctor immediately. Again, if you notice any or all of these herpes symptoms, don't wait, make an appointment with your doctor to get properly diagnosed.

  • Itching, burning, or tingling in or around your genital area;

  • Aches or pains in or around your genital area;

  • Bumps, blisters, cuts, sores or a rash, in or around your genital area;

  • Any vaginal or penis discharge;

  • If you notice any burning sensations and/or pain when urinating;

  • If you are experiencing any flu symptoms such as headache, fever, and swollen glands.

These symptoms of herpes can vary greatly in each person. You may experience more severe symptoms of herpes while other people may only notice very minor symptoms of herpes.

It's also very important to note that you may not have contracted genital herpes from your current sex partner because symptoms of herpes can first show up a very long time after you have actually contracted genital herpes! And you could have passed it on to other people since contracting it without ever knowing you did.

You should always avoid touching or scratching the affected areas because scratches may cause a bacterial infection and you may spread the infection throughout different parts of your body.

Genital herpes is one of the sexual transmitted diseases that anyone can get at any time, if they aren't careful.

The herpes simplex virus will cause symptoms of herpes.

You cannot get any symptoms of herpes through the air like you can with a cold. You can only get it through direct skin contact.

Genital herpes symptoms can be spread in many different ways including: vaginal sex, oral sex & anal sex. But you don't just have to have sex since the herpes virus can also be present on the skin around your genitals.

So any skin-to-skin contact can also spread genital herpes.

In addition, you don't have to notice any physical symptoms of herpes to actually have the herpes virus and pass it on to other people. You can be contagious and spread the herpes virus, but not have any signs or symptoms at all.  

As for all STDs, you can get most of them -- herpes, warts, gonorrhea, syphilis, and others -- from unprotected anal sex. A condom helps but does not fully protect you from warts and herpes.

Valtrex is the only medication proven to reduce and minimize Herpes outbreaks.  Valtrex is used to treat certain herpes infections, including herpes zoster (the painful rash known as shingles), genital herpes, and herpes cold sores on the face and lips.

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  08/02/07

 Acomplia (Rimonabant) Cannibis Connection?

Rimonabant developed from the knowledge that cannabis smokers often experience extreme hunger pangs, which cannabis smokers refer to as 'the munchies'. Acomplia works on the premise that if cannabinoids stimulate appetite, blocking cannabinoid receptors in the brain might reduce appetite.

The central cannabinoid (CB1) receptors are believed to play a role in controlling food consumption and the phenomena of dependence or habit. Acomplia (Rimonabant) emerged from this researched process as a potent CB1 receptor antagonist. Preclinical animal studies subsequently showed that it could reduce consumption of fats and sugars, which contribute to weight gain.

Trials involving over 6,000 obese subjects that were carried out in both the US and Europe, showed that overweight and obese patients taking Acomplia (Rimonabant) achieved significant reductions in body weight, and waist circumference (an indicator of abdominal obesity).

We feel in the prevailing market there is a clear opportunity for an effective and well-tolerated anti-obesity drug.

Reading Suggested by:
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Alcohol and HIV

HIV-infected persons who drink alcohol heavily and are not on antiretroviral therapy might decrease their risk of disease progression if they abstain from alcohol use...(read more)

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09/07/07

TESTS FOR HSV

Tests for HSV are most often done only for sores in the genital area. In rare cases, the test may be done using other types of samples, such as spinal fluid, blood, urine, or tears. To see whether sores are caused by HSV, different types of tests may be done.

 • Herpes viral culture. Cells or fluid from a fresh sore are collected with a cotton swab and placed in a culture cup. A viral culture is the most specific method of finding a genital herpes infection.

• Herpes virus antigen detection test. Cells from a fresh sore are scraped off and then smeared onto a microscope slide. This test finds markers (called antigens) on the surface of cells infected with the herpes virus. This test may be done with or in place of a viral culture.

• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A PCR test can be done on cells or fluid from a sore or on blood or on other fluid, such as spinal fluid. PCR finds the genetic material (DNA) of the HSV virus. This test can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2. The PCR test is not often done on skin sores, but it is best for testing spinal fluid, for those rare cases in which herpes may cause an infection in or around the brain.

• Antibody tests. Blood tests can find antibodies that are made by the immune system to fight a herpes infection. Antibody tests are occasionally done but are not as accurate as a viral culture at finding the cause of a specific sore or ulcer. Antibody tests cannot tell the difference between a current active herpes infection and a herpes infection that occurred in the past. Because antibodies take time to develop after the first infection, you may not have a positive antibody test if you have just recently been infected. Some blood tests can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2.

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October 30

Presidential Run Truth or Fiction?

 

 

Here are a few tidbits from an article we read today you might find interesting on Health Care, Medicare, and Immigration, that makes an interesting read.  It is not going to be much different in the telling from any political side.  The writer might be spitting off about one candidate, but it just made us realize we must look at each candidate very carefully, and be sure we know the issues, and how they might or might not affect each one of us in the future:

 

Immigration? 

Here’s the deal: Come here illegally. Dodge the cops for five years. Then you can get legal status, a path to citizenship, health insurance for your kids and in state tuition at their local state university. Sounds just like the name they gave it, huh?  (The SOLVE Act and the DREAM Act)

 

Health?

It’s been said by a couple of candidates they’d like to cover the 45-50 million uninsured and would leave everybody else's health care insurance in tact. Think about it.  If this is done free health coverage to 50 million Americans will drastically increase the demand for all manner of health and hospital care services. The fact that most of those who will be newly covered are illegal immigrants or other people living just below or just above the poverty level indicates an especially high rate of increase in demand for services. But the supply won't go up. There will be no sudden increase in the number of doctors, nurses, or hospital beds.

 

Trackbacks: Candidates, Health Care, Health Costs, Immigration, medicaid, medicare, Presedential Campaign, Presedential Issues, Townhall, xlpharmacy

New Blood Tests Better for Finding Prostate Cancer

 

A new blood test is more reliable at finding prostate cancer in its early stages by detecting a protein marker in blood plasma. Doctors say the new test, now in clinical trials, will have an accuracy of 95 percent, better than the commonly used PSA, which signals abnormal prostate conditions rather than cancer.