Bush's position on Canadian flu shots vs. prescription drugs "ironic"

[Lakerstan]

TORONTO (CP) - When President George W. Bush (news - web sites) spoke of importing Canadian flu vaccine during Wednesday's election debate, many in the U.S. public health community were struck by the irony of an administration that slams the door on cheaper Canadian drugs, but looks north for help with an embarrassing vaccine shortage.

"It seemed ironic to many of us who were watching that the president had kind of disparaged the importation of Canadian (prescription) drugs but seemed to be interested in exploring the possibility of importing Canadian vaccine," Dr. William Schaffner, a member of the U.S. advisory committee on immunization practices, said in an interview Thursday.

<snip>

"They've been disparaging the Canadian drug system, saying how it's a buyer beware situation, completely unsafe, can't guarantee the safety," said David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. "Then the moment that they need to go to Canada to find our flu vaccines, all of a sudden, magically, things are safe."

<snip>

"It's absolutely ironic and ludicrous to think that (U.S. regulators) can assure safety for flu vaccines . . . but they won't do it for life-saving Lipitor (news - web sites) (a cholesterol-lowering statin) as well," MacKay said.

"What's the difference between flu vaccine and Lipitor?"


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1843&e=9&u=/cpress/bush_flu_vaccine

[DemBones DemBones]

1. Ironic? No, it's a FLIP FLOP from the flim flam man. nt

[MSgt213]

2. Well we are dazzled by "he can run but he can't hide" and "need some wood"

so actually understanding what is really be said is asking us to do really hard work.

[mermaid]

3. Well, See...

it's like this....we have a sever shortage of the flu vaccine, so we gotta do this.
But there isn't a shortage of those other drugs in the U.S. so we don't HAVE to import them from Canda. And since it is UNPROFITABLE to the drug companies to have people be able to import drugs from Canada...and of course, Dumbya can't actually SAY that...he has to fall back on the "safety" thing, but we who know Dumbya's hard-heartedness, and assholish, selfish, greedy, flinty-hearted, gold-plated, bastard, high-tech, Olympic-class fuckheadedness and devotion to profits over people///WE know what it really is...MAJOR FUCKING FLIP-FLOP!!!
But will the "goddamn liberal media" call him on this?? Not just no, but FUCK, NO!!

Goddamn liberal media...:grr: :nuke: :grr:

[TrogL]

4. I kinda noticed that at the time, wondered why Kerry didn't call him on it

[TankLV]

5. "Ironic"? - No - it's a fucking LIE that Canadian drugs are somehow

"unsafe" or less safe than so-called "american" drugs - especially due to a little "fact" that the god-damned drugs are the same ones that were PRODUCED IN THE GODDAMNED US & EXPORTED TO CANADA IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Ya think?

Imagine that!

And Kerry didn't even blast the idiot liar on that!