# Buy drugs from Canada? Hell, let's Buy Em from INDIA!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-drugs-from-canada-hell-lets-buy-em-from-india/267865>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 6, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-drugs-from-canada-hell-lets-buy-em-from-india/267865 "2004-10-06T15:47:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-drugs-from-canada-hell-lets-buy-em-from-india/267865/1 "2004-10-06T15:47:20Z")

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Indian drug manufacturers (both licensed and unlicensed) are making anti-aids drugs for 10-30% of the USA prices. Other drugs Like copies of VIOXX, and anti-cholesterol drugs) can be had at similar discounts.  
So, what is keeping USA consumers and HMOs from importing these drugs from india? FEDX service to india is no problem…heck, why bother with the canucks? Go direct to India, i say! 😃

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**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-drugs-from-canada-hell-lets-buy-em-from-india/267865/2 "2004-10-06T18:31:40Z")

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They’ve already [thought of it:](http://www.overseasrxdrugs.com/)\*

> [@](#):
>
> Is it legal to import generic equivalents of brand name drugs currently under patent from an overseas pharmacy?
> 
> The World Trade Organization (WTO) treaties between nations protect patents and trademarks. India is one of the few nations that selected a protection scheme based upon protection of the manufacturing process (Process Patents) rather than using the more common scheme of protecting the actual product (Product Patents).
> 
> As a result, Indian pharmaceutical chemists can legally create, and sell worldwide, drugs that are still patent protected elsewhere if they do so using a process that creates the identical drug through the use of a different process.
> 
> Therefore, these drugs can be marketed at prices that reflect their real manufacturing cost, rather than a monopoly price that is set without regard to competition.

- Please excuse the link to a prescription Rx marketing site, is that against board policy? Advertising and all? I have no ties, commercial or otherwise, with this company, if that makes a difference.

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**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buy-drugs-from-canada-hell-lets-buy-em-from-india/267865/3 "2004-10-11T19:50:55Z")

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And even better, the Indian manufacturer of anti-AIDS drugs combines into one product what has to be bought as a “cocktail” (three separate drugs from three different companies) here in the US.