Neither my wife nor I have experienced any significant price increases in drugs over the past two-three years. We're both on Medicare Part D. Nor have we recently encountered any shortages, the last one being several years ago on the precursor of what is now Metaprolol, a blood pressure drug.

I really do not believe that the stories told by local pharmacists or local physicians about prices and shortages are to be believed. Not only do such people rely just as much on rumor as we do, they also have their own interests in distorting the truth.

There must be one or more blogs on the topic of prescriptions, prices and availability in the U.S. I can't image there not being such. I'll search for them and if I find any that sound credible I'll paste their links here. If any of you folks subscribe to the Consumer Reports Health Letter (I think it's a monthly), it would be appreciated if you'd pass along any drug-related wisdom it contains. Take care.