Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Trans-Pacific trade deal bumps up health prices, costs U.S. jobs
Trans-Pacific trade deal bumps up health prices, costs U.S. jobs
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/12/trans-pacific_trade_deal_bumps.html
By By State Sen. Vincent Gregory and Dick Long
on December 30, 2015 at 10:30 AM, updated December 30, 2015 at 10:31 AM
The purpose of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a noble one. Our government hopes the 12-country pact will open up new economic opportunities, ensure basic labor rights, promote environmental stewardship, protect intellectual property, create high-standards trade rules — and more. Once finalized, this agreement will regulate about 40 percent of the world's economy. But in reality, it is a morass of complicated and secretive agreements that could threaten the U.S. economy and place its most vulnerable citizens in harm's way. As it stands, the TPP fails to levy protections for American citizens, particularly when it comes to health care, financial security and food safety.
Right now, the TPP contains lengthy data-exclusivity windows for Big Pharma, which makes it more difficult for competing manufacturers to obtain the research necessary to develop specialty medications, and it weakens the government's ability to limit drug costs. These drugs, some of which can cost up to $400,000 annually, are used to treat illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and different forms of cancer.
The problems don't stop with prescription drugs, either. Similar provisions exist for medical devices, opening up the possibility of patenting a surgical procedure and thereby increasing its cost. Moreover, the TPP contains sneaky details allowing corporations and their subsidiaries to seek and obtain compensation from public programs that offer medication and supplies at below-market pricing — like Medicaid and Medicare. Millions of Michiganders rely on both programs to survive.
snip
And as Americans would pay more to keep their families healthy, the TPP also would provide protections — and in some cases incentives — to corporations that send manufacturing and service-related jobs offshore. Previous trade agreements have removed millions of jobs from our economy, resulting in $600 billion in lost wages and an annual loss of $37 billion in Social Security revenue.
Vincent Gregory, D-Lathrup Village, is the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He represents the 11th Michigan Senate District. Dick Long, a Democratic Party official in Oakland County and a retiree who worked 48 years working at General Motors, is president of the Michigan Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/12/trans-pacific_trade_deal_bumps.html
By By State Sen. Vincent Gregory and Dick Long
on December 30, 2015 at 10:30 AM, updated December 30, 2015 at 10:31 AM
The purpose of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a noble one. Our government hopes the 12-country pact will open up new economic opportunities, ensure basic labor rights, promote environmental stewardship, protect intellectual property, create high-standards trade rules — and more. Once finalized, this agreement will regulate about 40 percent of the world's economy. But in reality, it is a morass of complicated and secretive agreements that could threaten the U.S. economy and place its most vulnerable citizens in harm's way. As it stands, the TPP fails to levy protections for American citizens, particularly when it comes to health care, financial security and food safety.
Right now, the TPP contains lengthy data-exclusivity windows for Big Pharma, which makes it more difficult for competing manufacturers to obtain the research necessary to develop specialty medications, and it weakens the government's ability to limit drug costs. These drugs, some of which can cost up to $400,000 annually, are used to treat illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and different forms of cancer.
The problems don't stop with prescription drugs, either. Similar provisions exist for medical devices, opening up the possibility of patenting a surgical procedure and thereby increasing its cost. Moreover, the TPP contains sneaky details allowing corporations and their subsidiaries to seek and obtain compensation from public programs that offer medication and supplies at below-market pricing — like Medicaid and Medicare. Millions of Michiganders rely on both programs to survive.
snip
And as Americans would pay more to keep their families healthy, the TPP also would provide protections — and in some cases incentives — to corporations that send manufacturing and service-related jobs offshore. Previous trade agreements have removed millions of jobs from our economy, resulting in $600 billion in lost wages and an annual loss of $37 billion in Social Security revenue.
Vincent Gregory, D-Lathrup Village, is the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He represents the 11th Michigan Senate District. Dick Long, a Democratic Party official in Oakland County and a retiree who worked 48 years working at General Motors, is president of the Michigan Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
