TPP Trade Deal Will Be Devastating for Access to Affordable Medicines

[Jim Lane]

10. The discrepancy you cite is EXACTLY the point.

The administration, promoting the TPP, has a glowing statement on its website, telling us all what lovely things it's doing and how noble its intentions are.

But, as you say, this public relations effort is "not exactly (or even close to) what the OP indictates."

The OP discusses the analysis by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Note this passage about the discrepancy you identify:

“The intellectual property provisions of the TPP completely undermine the Administration’s stated public health goals, including its own goal to achieve an AIDS-free generation,” said Malpani. “While President Obama speaks of expanding health care and tackling issues of income inequality at home, he is actively promoting a trade agreement that will exacerbate economic disparities and endanger people’s health care worldwide.”

MSF has relied on leaks of the TPP text for information because the negotiations have been held in secret. While MSF and other civil society groups have been excluded from official negotiations on the TPP, industry groups representing various multinational corporations have had the opportunity to read the text and suggest revisions.

The implication of your post is that press releases about noble goals are always true, but that leaks of actual negotiated text are unreliable. Many of us disagree.

If all this is just tin-foil-hattery combined with Obama Derangement Syndrome, maybe the administration could give MSF "the opportunity to read the text and suggest revisions." Then we could all have more confidence in the process. And, since the text would be thoughtfully designed to promote innovation, ensure access to medications, etc., as per the PR, the result would be that MSF would give its enthusiastic endorsement. Win-win, isn't it?

...Unless, of course, the PR is a wee bit less than completely accurate (or, to put it another way, unless the PR is completely bogus).