Trading Away Health: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)


March 03, 2013

Unless damaging provisions are removed before negotiations are finalized, the TPP agreement is on track to become the most harmful trade pact ever for access to medicines in developing countries.

The TPP trade deal is currently being negotiated between the U.S. and ten other Pacific Rim nations. The negotiations are being conducted in secret, but leaked drafts of the agreement include aggressive intellectual property (IP) rules that would restrict access to affordable, lifesaving medicines for millions of people.

Proposed by U.S. negotiators, the IP rules enhance patent and data protections for pharmaceutical companies, dismantle public health safeguards enshrined in international law, and obstruct price-lowering generic competition for medicines.

The whole piece at the link: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/briefing-document/trading-away-health-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement-tpp

From his wife:

A Christopher Green update:
Last night Chris and I watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Wonderful Life and Forest Gump. Talk about the ridiculous to the sublime! We also were visited by two nurses from the Colostomy department. They are talking about Chris getting a temporary Colostomy so that his pressure wound on his coccyx can heal without being infected by stool. We want to talk it over with the transplant team and will talk to them tomorrow.

They are also talking about Chris moving to an LTAC (Long Term Acute Care) facility fairly soon, specifically Kindred. This is the place he was going to back in May, before some problems.
As Chris has been in the ICU for some time now, they moved the contents of his room to storage. I have gotten his guitar, phone, glasses and art supplies so he can use them. You can bet I will get the Christmas tree and bring it up to Chris' tiny room on Christmas.

I was in touch with Crewleader last night; her brother is very ill. This will probably be his last Christmas, and he's spending it with her.

She's taking some time off from DU in order to prepare things for him, so we won't see her for a while.

I know I greatly appreciate her daily offerings and I understand the pressure and grief she's laboring under right now...

I wanted to show my support to her, and then I thought many of you would like to do that too...

So, my dear Crewleader, this post is for you! You're in my thoughts, as is your beloved brother. I hope you'll have a wonderful Christmastime with him...

Blessings on you both!

Dreams of Falling Waters arrived today, and wow, it's a beauty!

The photos are wonderful, clear and sharp, everything we've come to expect from regnaD kciN!

I could not be more pleased.

I am totally enjoying the pictures!

From his wife:

Another Christopher Green update:

First of all, Buckeyes rule! Wisconsin was squished underneath the shoes of Cardale Jones and the other Bucs!

Chris and I enjoyed Thanksgiving with a dinner of Honey Baked Ham chicken breast, Heinins' dressing, peas, Stouffers' potatoes and scalloped apples for dessert. Yum! Chris' usual eating very little changed to eating more.

I've been decorating for Christmas and will post pics later.

Unfortunately, Chris had a lot of trouble breathing while he was on the respirator last week. There were other problems as well, so he was moved to the ICU. After the docs performed a bronchoscopy and cleaned out some very thick mucus, Chris is back talking and breathing without the respirator for the majority of the day. Hopefully, Chris moves back to his room soon.

These two pics are of Chris ready for the Browns' game. Go Browns!

http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/stanley-kutler-pentagon-unwilling-to-face-the-vietnam-truth-we/article_cace137c-1156-5d70-ae2f-8337be46ec92.html#utm_source=host.madison&utm_campaign=/email/captimes_opinion/&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

Waterlily in my daughter's front yard:



Youngest grandchild:


My daughters:


Oldest grandchild:


Youngest again!