Drug Dealers & COSTCO?

(CLEVELAND) - Last July, an investigative reporter named Steve Wilson with channel 7 News in Detroit, covered a story about generic drug price gouging by pharmacies.

Wilson's report revealed that some generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. Snopes reports, "Yes, that's not a typo . . . three thousand percent!"

"Mr. Wilson did a thorough research, and checked out all the major drugstore chains, discount chains, independent pharmacies, and even checked on some Canadian pharmacies. So often, we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves."

"For example, if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills. The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are "saving" $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only cost him $10!

"At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs. They gave the link to Costco, which I will include here, so that you can go and check prices for yourself. www.costco.com Costco Online pharmacy."

Snopes relates how visiting the Costco site allows a person to look up any drug, and get it's online price, which is the same as the in-store price. In one example, Compazine, which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients, cost $54.99 for 60 pills at CVS. Snopes checked the price at Costco, where 100 pills would only cost $19.89. It also is important to note that Costco is a "membership" store, but you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there.

Please note that Costco is not a paying advertiser here, we just feel obligated to share information like this with Americans, and we thank Costco for being so good to so many for all of these years.

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Drug Dealers & COSTCO?

There are many things in society that will turn a stomach sour,
Such as, elected officials and leaders who misuse their power,
Yes notorious are those who span out like roaches & bed bugs,
None other than the lowest of the low, they are dealing drugs.

I know like in my cousin’s neighborhood, corner of the street,
Death, better carry your Roscoe it’s the only way to compete,
These guys are in the department of pediatrics and here’s why,
Biggest, baddest, most profitable of all dealers wear suit & tie.

Like must drugs, they come from countries other than our own,
Due to climate restrictions and laws very few are home grown,
As offshore chemical synthesizers supply the active ingredients,
Packaged, then FDA approved, now off to the streets it is sent.

Talking bout that dude on the corner, the FDA is on the take?
Oh hell no, because they could never sell enough to generate,
Aware that in the illegal drug trade there are billions to make,
But trafficking in drugs that don’t produce is a deadly mistake.

Remember, I’m not talking about Ray-Ray, Pookie or J-Rock,
Neither am I referring to Eddie or Joe Smooth from the dock,
See, this crew makes deals, socializes and sits at the very top,
Limo to and from mansions, corporate jets, cream of the crop.

None other than multi-billion $$$ Pharmaceutical Companies,
Their stocks are traded on Wall Street, bundles our of money,
And I say ours since we as consumers are the one’s who pay,
Outrageous! Prices for prescription drugs in the world today.

Ever use, “Celebrex” consumer price is $130.27 for 100 tabs,
General active ingredients a nickel, markup 21,712%, not bad,
Here’s another, “Claritin” again 100 tabs a bargain at $215.17,
And this percent markup is 30,306%, do you see what I mean?

Next we have, “Keflex” 250mg 100 tablets and only $157.39,
The greed mean markup on this one is just 8,372%, that’s fine,
A best deal 100 for $272.37 many commercials for, “Lipitor,’
At the third lowest markup 4,696%, inexpensive out the door.

Now to some increases where the CEO’s should be doing time,
And you’ll see where the guy in the inner city is not real crime,
“Norvasc” 10mg cost of this active ingredient a mere 14 cents,
And the percentage of markup is a whopping, 134,493 percent.

“Zoloft” 11,821, “Zocor” 4,059, with 7,892 for “Zithromax,”
Still we are blessed because these medications have no tax?
Well, what about all the murders? That is south, in Mexico,
Better prescription prices? North to Canada, Americans go.

Strange, there is all this fuss, complaining and crying, why?
You cannot afford the markup, who lives forever we all die?
To senior citizens who can barely now pay rent, tough luck,
As mansions with all the amenities costs, millions of bucks.

There is 224,973%, “Prozac” if you have it lock your door,
Because gunmen stormed a CVS, “everybody on the floor,”
Oh that’s nothing, “Xanax” is a staggering 569,958 increase,
If you need that one to extend your life one word, deceased.

So, just living in the greatest country does not make it great,
Especially when billion dollar corporations decide your fate,
Hey Senator, I’m to old to find work, I was forced to retire,
Sorry voters should I loose the election it’s me they will hire.

Yep, it’s just like that, with a mega benefit package for life,
And, this sweetheart deal forever covers husband and wife,
I live to far from the Peace Bridge, there’s no place to go?
There is a warehouse with practically everything, Costco.

Since they have over 400 stores in the United States alone,
And no matter where you live it’s not that far from home,
You do not need to purchase any kind of membership fee,
Just tell the host at the door you’re there for the pharmacy.

Major factor in exacerbating the nation’s health care crisis?
Pharmaceutical companies & their rediculas markup prices,
My little sister heard about this and shouted, “Outrageous!”
Not only that, obviously this markup disease is contagious.

Not the Senate, the House or any of those whom we elect,
Once the votes are cast, three and a half years they forget,
Neither the clinic, a hospital, insurance or medical groups,
As last resort we still have Grandma Nana’s chicken soup.

By Luke Easter

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Luke Easter is a poet who writes about things that are very close to the heart of Salem-News.com. Another former U.S. Marine, Luke heals the world with an approach that reaches people on a different level, one known for centuries, yet too often forgotten in the one we live in.

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com