
Google to Pay Feds $500 Million Fine for Rogue Pharma Ads - ygreek
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/05/google-rogue-pharmacies/
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ck2
This is part of the new health care plan (seriously).

President Obama met with big pharma in the whitehouse back in July 2009 and
cut a deal to never bargain for lower prices and to block Canadian imports.
This was to bow down to big-pharma so they would not fight the policy changes,
because they had the billions in profit to lobby for eternity to prevent
changes from happening.

[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/health/policy/06insure.htm...](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/health/policy/06insure.html)

So import all the made-in-china gadgets you want, but big-pharma gets
protections from any US citizen being able to afford their medication. And now
the government is obligated to fine/sue anyone who tries to help you get a
discount with imported prescriptions, to protect big-pharma.

Part of the continuing "negotiate starting from the middle" tactic from the
whitehouse, ie. give in before you even start to bargain.

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kia
"U.S. citizens order from Canadian and overseas pharmacies to get cheaper
prices on medicine, though it’s illegal even with a prescription or for drugs
not available in the I.S.[sic]"

It is illegal for a US citizen to order non-US drugs. WTF???

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ars
$500 Million seems utterly excessive to me. Usually they do consent agreements
and only if the party violates it do they go after fines.

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obtino
Indeed. It seems very extortionist to me! How is this every going to stop
online pharmacies serving (what seems to be the legitimate) needs of
consumers?

~~~
anonymoushn
Given that it against the law to not give money to the health insurance
industry, it should not be surprising that it is also against the law to not
give money to the pharmaceutical industry.

