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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow the TPP Trade Deal Could Increase Risk of Dying of Breast Cancer
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/30164-how-the-tpp-trade-deal-could-increase-risk-of-dying-of-breast-cancer
As the head of a watchdog organization for the breast cancer movement, I work to ensure that public health and patient interests come before those of big businessand I say no way to secret trade deals that harm our health and well-being, especially when we have no say in the matter. I am outraged that information revealed so far about the TPP shows that while it will be great for multinational corporations, it would be, as is too often the case, terrible for our health.
The TPP both threatens access to affordable treatments and limits regulation that protects the public from toxic exposures and processes. This means that not only will more people be exposed to chemicals that are known and suspected to cause health harm, but the treatments for these medical problems will be more expensive as a result of the TPP.
Cost of treatment for breast cancer (and other) patients is a critical issue in the U.S. Too many women already experience first-hand the exorbitant cost of cancer drugs in the U.S.: 11 out of the 12 cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012 cost more than $100,000 per year. The current U.S. patent system is designed to reward drug companies for introducing new treatments by providing them with a period of exclusivity, during which no other drug company can sell a competing or generic version of that drug.
The Obama administration once acknowledged that an important step in making cancer treatments more affordable is by limiting this period of exclusivity so that generic options can come onto the market more quickly and provide cancer patients with affordable treatments options. Despite this, the administration is reportedly pushing for market exclusivity periods to last 12 years.
According to language in the TPP's leaked intellectual property chapter, the trade deal would require all participating countries to enact automatic market exclusivity periods on many essential medical drugs, including biological therapies used to treat cancer. In this way, no country would be able to take action within their borders to bring down the cost of treatment by reforming the patent system or reducing the period of exclusivity. It could also limit the U.S. government from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices and better reimbursements for patients requiring Medicaid and Medicare. And it would spell disaster for developing countries signing on to the deal.
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How the TPP Trade Deal Could Increase Risk of Dying of Breast Cancer (Original Post)
eridani
May 2015
OP
ellenrr
(3,864 posts)1. so many ways this is a disaster.... nt
cali
(114,904 posts)2. "evergreening" of drug patents is very disturbing.
stonecutter357
(12,695 posts)3. !
appalachiablue
(41,118 posts)4. "The TPP Won't Open the Gates of Hell", President Obama, 4.26.15.
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)5. Funny,,,,,,
you mean that is not in the certified text of the Treaty, Section 3A ?
Divernan
(15,480 posts)6. My friend dying of Stage 4 breast cancer is surely in a living hell.
But hey, the rich white guys negotiating the TPP don't develop breast cancer. And if their wife dies from it, Hey, it's trophy wife time!
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)7. There is nothing of value to regular people in the TPP.
All of the problems we have now will still exist and a number of these problems with be exacerbated.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)8. K&R
CharlotteVale
(2,717 posts)9. K&R