Thanks Dems for Canadian drug bill

Here they go again. The same old lies and inflated questions from the Republican House members. As they pad their pockets with millions from the pharmaceutical and insurance lobbies, they continue to pontificate the evils of the Canadian health care system.

The bare facts are these: The medicines used in Canada are manufactured at exactly the same places those used in America are — the United States, Ireland and Europe. The difference is that the Canadian government shares the savings with the people rather than allowing the industry to run rampant.

The other facts are that the average medicine is approximately one-third the cost of what they are here. The No. 1 fact to consider is that the average Canadian lives four years longer than the average American, and the infant mortality rate is way superior to ours due to all expectant mothers having access to regular checkups and affordable prescription drugs. So really how dangerous are their drugs?

As usual though, with Republican Rep. Barbara Bailey comparing Canada with Iran, their fear factor of governing carries on. Rather than come up with any true answer to this problem, they resort to their old tactics.

Thanks to the House Democrats for taking this step. Now at least, untold numbers of Washington citizens will no longer have to decide between eating or buying their monthly prescriptions if this bill passes the Senate, and then Governor, (yes Governor,) Gregoire signs it into law.

Tom Montgomery
Anacortes

Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald