Eli Lilly files $500M NAFTA suit against Canada over drug patents

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Eli Lilly is accusing Canada of violating its obligations to foreign investors under the North American Free Trade Agreement by allowing its courts to invalidate patents for two of its drugs.

The company officially filed a complaint this week with NAFTA seeking $500 million US in compensation.

The NAFTA claim alleges that several Canadian court rulings invalidating the patents for Eli Lilly's drugs Straterra and Zyprexa were illegal under international law because they violated Canada's obligations under Chapter 11 of NAFTA, the international trade treaty that covers the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Chapter 11 protects the investments of companies and investors from NAFTA countries that operate in other NAFTA states. Eli Lilly alleges Canada violated the provisions of Chapter 11 that guarantee fair and equal treatment to foreign investors and protect them from expropriation of their investments.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/eli-lilly-files-500m-nafta-suit-against-canada-over-drug-patents-1.1829854

This despite the fact that the Drugs failed to fulfill the promises of their patents. Now lets hurry up and get TPP and CETA signed!

[Koko Ware]

1. Eli Lilly needs to be indicted, the CEO indicted, and the entire corporation audited

and found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

That is a RICO offense if I saw one.....

[mzmolly]

2. It's good to know drug companies are interested in public

health, above all else.

[rurallib]

3. See those corporations rising; see that sovereignty slide into the sea

O please, give me more trade deals.

[CanSocDem]

4. This is what we feared...

...before NAFTA became law. When Liberals and Conservatives joined hands to hand Canadians over to the American Marketing Machine

"No, No No...don't worry. Our medical system is safe!!"

"But it says right there, that US corporations can sue Canadian companies for giving the consumer a square deal..."

"We'll never let the multinational pharmaceutical industry control Canada the way it does the USA."

We will, however, allow ourselves to be robbed of money better spent on public health.


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