US companies 'out to get Pharmac'

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US companies 'out to get Pharmac'

3News NZ

Talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement are continuing in Auckland today, as is opposition to the deal.

Now, a US trade campaigner has described the TPP as a corporate coup.

“[It’s] representing not what most people in the US want,” Lori Wallach, from American organisation Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch told Firstline this morning, “but rather is an agenda promoted by the biggest US corporations, specifically there are 600 official trade advisors of whom almost all are our biggest corporations.”

Ms Wallach also has a warning for the Government’s drug-buying agency.

“The big US pharmaceutical companies are out to get Pharmac. They’re happy to have it exist on favour, but they want to gut all of the price-savings rules so they can increase medicine prices.”

As well as this she claims Disney is trying to prevent New Zealand from using subsidies to attract film-makers and are attempting to alter copyright laws to make internet access more expensive.

Despite claims to the contrary from Trade Minister Tim Groser, Ms Wallach says the US Congress will never allow New Zealand agriculture to get a foothold in the American domestic market.

“When you get to the practicalities of the agreement… there’s very little on offer for New Zealand,” she says.

Representatives from 11 nations are currently in Auckland for the 15th round of talks on the TPP.

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Comments

7/12/2012 1:48:02 p.m.

S wrote:

As an NZ consumer I like the freedom to choose which natural supplement I use not be controlled by Pharmac or any other Pharmaceutical Company. NZ is a free country and bit into natural health and we don't need to be controlled by large Drug Companies and take away our choice - very dangerous area to even contemplate and is about control than choice where we'll end up with microchips inserted just like the American people are about to experience.

6/12/2012 9:20:04 a.m.

Greg wrote:

Does anyone think we all in a democracy, a vote for a politician solves everything.

5/12/2012 4:53:57 p.m.

Neil wrote:

There are two trade things that our country should throw this off a wharf for - Pharmac and dairy products. There are other things far more dangerous than these, but these two are the trade related ones we should make not negotiable. This is NOT a trade agreement - stop calling it that.

5/12/2012 4:15:32 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

I wonder how much of a consultancy fee John Key will get from the US in a few years, when everyone has forgotten who sold us down the river.

5/12/2012 3:35:06 p.m.

Jan wrote:

Key will go for it

5/12/2012 1:55:13 p.m.

Scott wrote:

Believe it or not, most American citizens are against the TPP. The only "entities" in favour of it are multinational corporations which has allegience to no country, including the USA

5/12/2012 1:10:14 p.m.

Beau Murrah wrote:

NZ's pharmaceutical market and Pharmac was a topic in some 13 different diplomatic cables: http://officialinformationact.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/the-salve-for-pharmaceutical-industries.html?m=1 There is definitely a concerted aim to lever the TPPA to get at Pharmac

5/12/2012 1:09:10 p.m.

Greg wrote:

And the Americans wonder why they are disliked and hated across the world.
A dollars profit costs them five to keep it.

5/12/2012 11:46:06 a.m.

Al wrote:

We don't need the TPP . The only gains from it will go to the U.S at the expense of all orhers, which is the only reason the U.S is even part of it. NZ should walk away from it before it's too late, but our politicians don't listen to us so that's unlikely to happen. I think that NZ 'ers will live to regret this, and those responsible for selling us out will get off scot-free as usual.

5/12/2012 10:44:35 a.m.

Greg wrote:

Finally some acknowledgement about what irve been saying about hte U.S. congress. The state department will not give anything away and will want everything. This free trade deal will cause revolutions. John Key and Groser wont guarantee anything at risk to themselfs.