Pharmaceutical companies are romancing key Republican politicians to get them to support the “closed market” on prescription drugs, several news reports say. Obviously, the drug makers think the only way to win this fight is to do it the underhanded, sleazy way. Even though the FDA can certify drugs from Canada as being okay, they refuse to. That’s because the agency is in the hip pocket of the drug companies, which charge the most of any country for prescriptions. The elderly and sick cannot afford these prices, and they desperately need a free market. Clark hopes that some of our politicians get a clue about the right thing to do. This issue of affordable medicines is not going away, and they need to take some action for their constituents. In the meantime, if your doctor writes you a prescription and you know you can't afford it, tell him or her. Ask for a generic or substitute.