WHO Head Joins Chorus Denouncing TPP's Blow to Public Health, Boon to Big Pharma

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Common Dreams

WHO Head Joins Chorus Denouncing TPP's Blow to Public Health, Boon to Big Pharma
Published on Thursday, November 12, 2015

by Common Dreams

There are 'some very serious concerns' regarding the 12-nation trade pact, Margaret Chan said.

by Andrea Germanos, staff writer

Adding to the chorus of voices sounding alarm on the impacts of the pending TransPacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that there were "some very serious concerns" regarding the 12-nation pact.

Speaking to a conference in Geneva, Margaret Chan mentioned concern "about interference by powerful economic operators," and said, "I have been hearing some serious concerns that the TransPacific Partnership, the biggest trade agreement ever, may adversely affect the market for generics and biosimilars and increase the cost of medicines."

Repeating a comment she made in 2014, Chan asked, "If these agreements open trade yet close the door to affordable medicines we have to ask the question: is this really progress at all?" "High prices block access," she added.

. . .

"Though the US in the end relented on some of its demands to protect its drug makers from competition—to the point where some US trade boosters threatened to pull their backing for the deal—the TPP still obliges signatory countries to accept many of the patent rules that help drug firms keep prices high in the US." (. . .)

Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/11/12/who-head-joins-chorus-denouncing-tpps-blow-public-health-boon-big-pharma

[840high]

2. kick

[Cassiopeia]

3. While so many get caught up in the race for the next POTUS we forget that

we already have a POTUS working really hard with Republicans to shove this shit bill down our throats.

It's going to work too.

I guess it's still not our time.

[MisterP]

7. don't be silly! I read right on DU that any Dem secretly supports every policy we want them to

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251801031
it's just a matter of WISHING hard enough

[Fairgo]

4. Topic for the debate

I look forward to the next debate. The TPP will provide a great issue for discerning more fundamental truths about the candidates.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Well, the establish "journalists" there will make a demand of the audience

Pay no attention to that godawful trade deal behind the curtain!

[Jack Rabbit]

5. K/R