Drug prices expected to rise as result of TPP deal

[Newsjock]

Source: The Globe and Mail

The intellectual-property provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will drive up global drug prices and make it harder to treat diseases in developing countries, Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) says.

A month after the final text of the TPP was released, the medical humanitarian organization has completed its analysis of the portions of the massive trade pact that will affect drug costs. Despite changes from earlier leaked versions of the text, there are still serious problems, Judit Rius, MSF’s U.S. legal policy adviser, said. “This is catastrophic. This is very negative. The impact is going to be at multiple levels,” Ms. Rius said in an interview. “First of all, it is going to delay access to generic competition (for brand-name drugs), which is a proven intervention to reduce the price of medicines.”

For generic drug makers, she said, the TPP will create additional legal barriers that will get in the way of making new products, and that will stunt the industry.

...There are three key remaining problem provisions, according to the MSF analysis. One would allow pharmaceutical companies to “evergreen” their product patents, essentially making small changes to a drug’s use to extend its protection from competition.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/drug-prices-expected-to-rise-as-result-of-trade-deal/article27627091/

[Skittles]

1. well of course

isn't that the whole point?

[GoneFishin]

2. Does anybody else worry that the train wreck of tragedies of late are going to stuff the headlines

until the clock on TPP runs out and it is approved in the middle of the night barely noticed?

I can't say that I have seen any deliberative discussion about the merits or pitfalls of TPP since the text was released. The news has been filled with the various attacks.

[Docreed2003]

3. Truth...the clock is ticking and debate is lacking

[TIME TO PANIC]

4. Yes. I think it's one of the main motives for all this ISIS hysteria.

If it weren't for the Paris attack, the media would find some super-bug or plane crash they could distract us with. Remember the Ebola scare in 2014, the media dropped it right after the midterms.

[jeff47]

8. It already passed.

TPA means there's no Senate filibuster. Just an up-or-down vote. And the "treaty" is legally "a series of executive actions" instead of a treaty, which means they only need a basic majority in the Senate.

Every single Democrat in Congress can oppose the TPP, and it will pass. And there's no way in hell Obama is going to veto it after all the arm-twisting he did to get TPA to pass.

Every Democrat who voted for TPA and will vote against TPP knows this, and is currently engaged in theatrics designed to fool their constituents into believing they oppose the TPP.

[Populist_Prole]

18. Yes, absolutely

Sell-outs to the plutocrats don't make headline news...by design. All too many don't go into depth of current events unless it's headline news...and the MSM has that rating bonanza covered. While the issue of income inequality is a very touchy subject among the coprporatists in both parties and the MSM, the talk of economic populism is pure heresy to them.

[d_legendary1]

5. The president said that this deal is good for us

so obviously somebody must be lying.

[99th_Monkey]

6. Higher drug prices, neutered environmental laws (thus accelerating Climate Change),

subverting democratic institutions, outsourcing more jobs overseas, etc.

It's an unmitigated disaster, if it passes, it's pretty much "game over". Corporatists Win.

[jeff47]

9. There is no "if it passes". TPA means it will pass.

Everything going on now is theater, so Democrats who voted for TPA can pretend they stood up to the terrible things in the TPP.

[Populist_Prole]

20. Of course. Despite the protestations of the corporatist trolls here that were in favor of it

They're pernicious phonies, every last one of them.

"It's not true, it's not true, it's not true....the predictions of gloom" now becomes "So what? Deal with it"

[LS_Editor]

7. TPP to Protect American Freedom to Not Afford Medicine

The TPP is going to be devastating. This satire site has been writing about it...

TPP to Protect American Freedom to Not Afford Medicine

WASHINGTON (The Nil Admirari) - Earlier today, President Obama announced the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) - a massive multinational trade deal the president intends to sign - will protect the freedom of all Americans to not afford life-saving medicines. Instead, TPP will allow pharmaceutical companies to make more blood money by letting them keep longer patents on their drugs, and almost indefinitely prevent critical, far more affordable generic drugs from entering the American market.

+

Obama added, "Not only does TPP have the potential to bankrupt millions more American families like in the days prior to my signature healthcare law, but a flood of brand name drugs and no generic alternatives may also bankrupt programs like Medicare."

Some other stories from them...

TPP to Protect American Freedom to Drink Poisonous Fracking Water

TPP to Protect American Freedom to Buy Poisonous Food

[cantbeserious]

10. Know Thy Enemy - Oligarchs, Corporations, Banks And Their Media Minions And MIC Henchmen

eom

[99th_Monkey]

11. +10

[Populist_Prole]

19. And their useful idiots here on DU

The corporatist apologist posters we all know.

[SoapBox]

12. Thank you President Obama! For this gift to the American people!

People who need medications to FUCKING live!

THIS, will be the black eye on your Presidency. I will never, ever forget.

[jalan48]

13. The Clinton's are on their way to billionaire land.

Obama must be hoping for the same future with his support for this treaty. A treaty virtually all Republicans support. Odd isn't it?

[SoapBox]

14. Yup.

And yes...all Pukes supported it...and then there is the long list of Entrenched Establishment so-called Democrats.

The whole thing is criminal and is a crime against the Humanity of Earth.

[Truprogressive85]

15. No Tpp is good

It's the "gold standard " I heard

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Whoever said that forgot to tell you that it's fool's gold

The culprit was last seen riding off in the sunset, firing her six shooter and hollering "Thanks for your votes, suckers."

[JDPriestly]

17. It will be very bad for Americans if we agree to the TPP.

Ordinary Americans will lose, not gain from the passage of the TPP.

[davidpdx]

21. It's going to hurt all countries in terms of drug prices

even if they are not part of the TPP. The drug companies will have free reign to increase their prices and not negotiate down the price of drugs. Here in Korea my medication is paid for mostly by my insurance (I have a co-pay of $45 including my visit). I expect it to double once the TPP passes.

I have been over time reading the book The Bully Pulpit by Goodwin-Kerns about Teddy Roosevelt's fight against large companies that were ripping people off. He was a Republican, but he is one of my heroes. Roosevelt fought hard against the companies for a fair deal for the people.

[Unknown Beatle]

22. So people will be dying because Obama wanted to appease

his buddies at big pharma. Money talks and Obama walks.

[lark]

23. This is one of the main points of the TPP.

US insisted there would be no agreement without the other countries folding on this issue. Obama and his trade representatives are going to be held accountable for this travesty. Unfortunately, that won't be before many people die due to generics taking so much longer to come to market.

[pampango]

24. If MSF thinks that TPP is worse than WTO/NAFTA pharmaceutical provisions that

is important. MSF is not reflexively against international agreements. Indeed it is a multilateral organization that relies on international cooperation to exist and operate.