Sanders to join diabetes patients on trip to Canada to buy cheaper insulin

[Uncle Joe]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced Thursday he will accompany patients with diabetes on a bus trip to Canada to buy insulin that's available at cheaper prices than in the U.S.

(snip)

“Because of pharmaceutical industry greed, the U.S. price of insulin has nearly doubled in recent years, even though the drug can be purchased for one-tenth of the price in Canada,” Sanders's campaign said in a statement. “That price discrepancy is widespread across many medicines, which has fueled the more than $69 billion in annual pharmaceutical industry profits, even while millions of Americans cannot afford the prescription drugs they need.”

The campaign added that Sanders made a similar trip to Canada two decades, when he joined women with breast cancer to buy medication that was 10 percent of the price being charged in the Green Mountain State.

Sanders has sponsored legislation that would give the federal government the power to authorize generic versions of medicines if drug companies charge prices that are higher than those in other industrialized countries. He also introduced a bill in November to strip drug companies of their monopolies if their prices are deemed excessive.

(snip)

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/452581-sanders-to-join-diabetes-patients-on-trip-to-canada-to-buy-cheaper-insulin

[SouthernProgressive]

1. This is Sanders wheelhouse.

He is an activist with a political career rooted in small support.

These are the things Sanders should be doing. Not running for a job that is over his head.

Keep up the activist gig, Sanders.

[floppyboo]

4. Small support??? He just broke records for most donations to his campaign

And has more volunteers than any other candidate.
What exactly do you mean by small support? We must not be thinking the same thing.

[SouthernProgressive]

5. Yes, I view his support as being small and retracting.

He has been working on building up his donor base for years. It's expected that he can bring in money after that long.

I am counted as one of his volunteers. I don't think people get the level of campaign propaganda that goes into that number. I would never consider volunteering for him yet I'm counted.

Warren pulled in more money. Glad you understand she has more support. I love the Sanders numbers game. I love those who don't understand it even more.

[floppyboo]

7. He's #1 on overall favorability in latest fav and recognition poll Politico/Morning Consult

https://morningconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Political-Intelligence-7.8.19-FINAL.pdf

so, how do you view his support as small and retracting? I'm baffled, but I'm sure I love you too

[demmiblue]

2. Good on him. n/t

[customerserviceguy]

3. Fine on the generic bill

But how about a bill to make insulin a non-prescription, over the counter drug as it is in Canada?

[TreasonousBastard]

6. BFD. So he is again sponsoring someone else's legislation. He's done this hundreds of times, and...

he's sponsored hundreds of amendments. But in all his years in Congress, the one bill he wrote that wasn't a Post Office naming was one to give Veterans a raise. That was a tough one.

Drug company profits are not the only reason for high drug prices-- there is a large distribution network that has many players adding their nickels in to the final price. Generics are given patents, and there is collusion between companies to limit supplies. All this and more can and should be dealt with under existing law.

And let Medicare negotiate prices like the VA does. And extend those negotiated prices to all Medicare recipients.

That's just the beginning.