Straight Goods uses the power of the Internet to help Canadians inform one another. Straight Goods promotes citizen journalism , linking Canadians from every community. We help Canadians analyze the systems that cost them money and affect their lives. As part of our two-week Greener Grass series, Straight Goods compared drug prices in Canada and the United States, and found that there may be no other consumer item with a greater price spread between the two countries. Most non-prescription items cost about the same in both cities, apparently.
Prescription drugs are a whole other story.
Yet the same shopping list of common prescription drugs that seniors might need is much cheaper in Ontario. While some US prescription drugs are close in price to Canadian drugs, others are in a whole different league. Factor in exchange rates, and the difference is staggering. Mohsin Merali at Killaloe's Village Pharmacy says the difference is easy to explain. In Canada, government regulates the costs of drugs, and companies have to abide by costs.