The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) the real Drug pushers in America and a big driving force behind the drug war have some friends in the Bush Administration. (with the Bush families ties to pharmaceutical industry its no surprise)

Maine reasonably tried to consolidate prescription drug prices and to get a discount for bulk rates. Makes sense doesn’t it?

“Under the program, Maine officials would negotiate with drug makers for additional discounts similar to those given to the Medicaid program. Maine was to use the savings to reimburse pharmacies for giving discounts to customers who lack drug coverage. State officials estimate eligible residents would save between 10 and 30 percent on prescription drug costs under the program.”

This would be great for the 100,000 Maine people with no health insurance!

Of course soon as PhRMA got wind of this and saw the money they would loose they sued the State to stop the program. And while the Bush administration was spouting off rhetoric about how they wanted states to find better solutions to the ever increasing Rx prices, they were also using the DOJ to prepare a brief stating the program was illegal…why? as they put it… “because it is not specifically targeted to people who are poor or elderly, or who have a different need for help in paying for medicine.”

Do you believe for a minute it had to do with the poor or elderly in Maine, or the Bush families investments in the Drug companies? I may be biased, but I’m not blind.

At least Maine is trying new things, but of course the Bush administration will stand behind its good ol boy’s the Pharmaceutical industry every time…they know where there political dollars come from!

The only changes you might see this next year in drug Rx prices will be the Bush Administration chalking up more debt by paying for Rx’s using tax dollars they don’t have!