FDA hand-in-hand with big pharma?

[jberryhill]

5. And because "she was told" it was the FDA, then that is true

A support person at a pharmacy told her it had something to do with the FDA. So, naturally, it is the FDA.

My question is this: Why do people reflexively believe everything they are told by some random person?

What is happening, and it is not just with credit cards, is that a private outfit called LegitScript, which is a handmaiden to the pharma companies, has been strongarming internet domain registrars, hosting companies, and payment processing companies with all sorts of legal threats over unaccredited pharmacies.

Here is the statement from VISA:

http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/Online-Pharmacy-Guide-for-Acquirers-June-2014.pdf

MasterCard implemented a similar policy at the behest of LegitScript.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the FDA, since the FDA's jurisdiction has nothing to do with how people pay for drugs.

So, in answer to your questions:

1. Now what's up with the FDA?

The answer in this context would be "nothing".


2. Would I be a conspiracy therorist to deduct that they are apparently working to keep customers in the high priced USA market?

I don't know if you would be a "conspiracy theorist", but you would be tremendously misinformed.

At bottom, it would appear that the pharmacy you use does not meet LegitScript's accreditation criteria, which is used by VISA and MasterCard.