Trade minister must listen to medical specialists warning on trans pacific trade negotiations
“Trade Minister Tim Groser must listen to the serious warning raised by medical specialists over the threats to patients
and taxpayers in the Trans Pacific trade negotiations. He damages his government’s credibility by dismissing them as
politically irrelevant,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).
Mr Powell was referring to the article published today by Drs Erik Monasterio, Phil Pattemore and George Laking. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/70236755/critics-of-trade-deal-are-not-politically-irrelevant.
“The earlier leak (WikiLeaks) revealed that large American drug company monopolies would be able, under the proposed
deal, to interfere in the decision-making of New Zealander’s drug buying agency (Pharmac) and severely weaken its
performance, including in the control of patents.
“In 2014 Pharmac saved more than $1.2 billion in that year alone. Pharmac is able to buy medicines at an average
discount of about two-thirds. But this deal would increase monopoly power of large overseas drug companies. This is not
free trade; instead it is introducing the power of big business into our public health service.
Mr Powell noted the advice of the medical specialists that the proposed deal would have an alarming effect on the group
of medicines called ‘biologicals’. These medicines cost Pharmac $163 million last year. Under the proposed trade deal
these drugs will cost at least another $25-50 million a year.
“Last November delegates to the ASMS Annual Conference, representing over 90% of specialists working in the public
health service, called on the government to undertake an independent health impact assessment on the proposed agreement.
What could be more reasonable and politically relevant than this?”
ENDS