CAFTA: how many lives is a drug patent worth?

[ulysses]

Testimony of MSF on IP Provisions in DR-CAFTA & Consequences For Access to Essential Medicines
Submitted to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives
April 2005

INTRODUCTION

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontierès (MSF) is pleased to submit this testimony to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives about the potential negative consequences of intellectual property (IP) provisions in the United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) on access to essential medicines in the concerned countries.

MSF is deeply concerned that provisions in the Chapter on Intellectual Property in DR-CAFTA1 will lead to devastating consequences in terms of access to medicines for millions of people in the region with HIV/AIDS and other diseases. MSF is also concerned that this trade agreement, among others already signed or currently being negotiated, undermines the right and obligation of countries to protect public health and promote access to medicines for all, in accordance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Declaration on the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health (“Doha Declaration”), which the U.S. adopted along with all other WTO members in November 20012. The Doha Declaration clearly recognized concerns about the effects of patents on prices and stated unambiguously that TRIPS can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner “supportive of WTO members' right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all.”3

MSF has called repeatedly on the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to ensure that the Doha Declaration remains a ceiling for trade negotiations on IP as they relate to public health technologies. Because of the clearly stated negotiating objectives of the U.S., however, we have been forced to go one step further in recommending that IP be excluded from bilateral and regional trade agreements altogether. The WTO TRIPS Agreement already establishes more than sufficient standards for IP protection in WTO member states.

more...http://www.doctorswithoutborders-usa.org/publications/speeches/2005/testimony_guatemala_4-2005.cfm

[ulysses]

1. a little

:kick: for our later-rising free traders...

[G_j]

2. why are there so many amoral selfish pigs

making decisions for the rest of us?

oh never mind :argh:

[ulysses]

3. it's a completely fair question.

One we need to ask more often and loudly.

[ulysses]

4. y'all pardon me...

:kick:

[ulysses]

5. no answers?

C'mon, folks...

[G_j]

6. the short answer

a drug patent is not worth a SINGLE life.
That would seem to be a no brainer, but obviously there are corporate interests that will easily sacrifice others to fatten their wallets.

could also say, how many lives are worth sacrificing to buy a CEO another mansion, yacht etc.

[ulysses]

7. it is a no-brainer, of course.

I'm just wondering where the DU free trade contingent is. Hoping they can point out something I've missed in all this.

[ulysses]

8. aaand just once more

for the later evening crowd...would still really like some kind of response from our free traders.

[ibegurpard]

10. Well, I'll kick it for you

But I'm afraid I can't give you the answers you seek cause I'm kind of in the same boat as you when it comes to my opinion of it.

[ulysses]

12. I appreciate it

but I don't think they're coming for the discussion.

[The2ndWheel]

9. Well there are 6 billion of us

A few can be sacrificed for a couple extra bucks. We're consumers and tradable commodities. How dare you question the overlords.

[ulysses]

11. damn that mouth of mine!