The TPP might raise the price of our meds

If you think the FDA is controlled by corporate interests now wait until the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is passed. Democratic president Obama and most Republicans are lobbying very hard to get this treaty thru congress. Its 30 provisions are cloaked in secrecy but some of it was leaked. The five provisions that deal directly with trade, such as subsidizing American jobs to move overseas, are OT here. But we might be concerned about some of the other 25 provisions that might apply to us.

It would allow foreign and domestic corporations to challenge our food safety laws, (and financial regulations etc.), by arguing in front of secretive foreign tribunals comprised of 3 private attorneys authorized to order massive payments. There is no outside appeal to these tribunals dictates.

But what might affect us in particular is that it will allow pharmaceutical companies to extend their monopoly drug patents and limit consumers' access to cheaper generic drugs. Leaked draft TPP texts also contain expansive rules that would constrain the ability of Medicare and Medicaid to reduce medicine prices.

Most of this proposed treaty is still secret but congressmen, without any of their staff, have been allowed to see it. No taking notes allowed and they are sworn to secrecy. St. Hillary has not commented but it was her State Department that negotiated this trade agreement.

Depressing news. Sometimes I look back at all the bad news broadcast in my lifetime and am happy that about 90% never happened after all. When I read history it's the common people that provide so much and get so little when all we want is to live peaceful lives. But things seem to turn out badly for those in power too.

Eat dessert first.

The senate will try to vote on the TPP today. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are fighting mad. Foreign and domestic corporations helped write the treaty meanwhile the American people are not allowed to even see it.

www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-10/profits-over-public-health-big-pharma-revealed-puppetmaster-behind-tpp-secrecy

I saw this article about how the new trade bill being legislated would be a boon for Big Pill and remembered this thread from a month ago.

the article said...
"Heather Bresch, the chief executive of Mylan, one of the largest generic-drug makers, said the brand-name pharmaceutical industry was “establishing, through U.S. trade policy, an international system designed to maximize its monopolies."

But where the alarm bells truly go off is when someone, anyone, uses the word "fair" to justify policy, such as surging drug costs. To wit: "drug companies, however, say they need to be able to charge fair prices to compensate for the billions of dollars and decades of research that go into their medicines."

What is amusing is that the true motive behind the TPP's secrecy have been quite clear to virtually everyone but the population of the TPP's host nation:

“It was very clear to everyone except the U.S. that the initial proposal wasn’t about transparency. It was about getting market access for the pharmaceutical industry by giving them greater access to and influence over decision-making processes around pricing and reimbursement,”

It seems our Congress will go to any ends to protect the profits of businesses. Why should this surprise us?

Anyway, since I can't do a bloomin' thing about it, I think I'll just decide not to fret over it.