The one issue that unifies our divided America is the high cost of prescription drugs. Congress has taken the hint, decrying the greed of the pharmaceutical industry at hearings that seem to be held almost weekly, and sounding the alarm for immediate action, which seems to never come. The Kaiser Family Foundation recently reported that one in four Americans struggle to fill their prescriptions because of cost, which can often lead to illness or even death. We are in the midst of a public-health crisis.
One of the solutions currently working its way through Congress would permit patients to obtain lower-cost medication from pharmacies in Canada and other countries, where drug prices are frequently as much as 80 percent lower than those at US pharmacies. Americans haven't waited for Congress to act, however: Despite the fact that it's federally prohibited under most circumstances, an estimated 19 million Americans have already imported medicines for personal use because of cost. To import, some travel to Canada and Mexico, while others order online or through programs connecting them with international pharmacies. For many, it's great savings, but for others it's their only option.
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