Rep. DeLauro Opposes TPP Data Exclusivity for Life-Saving Drugs
The U.S. proposal for 12 years of biologic data exclusivity in the Trans-Pacific Partnership will hamper pharmaceutical research competition globally and raise prices for life-saving drugs, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and a National Nurses United delegation to Capitol Hill at a press conference on Feb. 26. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is a supporter of that exclusivity lifespan and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is also rallying behind that demand (see 14030520).
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Big pharmaceutical companies are dispatching corporate lawyers to ensure that exclusivity level appears in a final TPP deal, said DeLauro, while arguing the growth in generic drug availability saved countless lives globally in recent decades, including in treating AIDS patients. “We all understand that drug producers need to pay for their research and their development, but we have to be free to strike a balance,” said DeLauro.
The nurses called for grassroots pressure to kill the TPP. “Congress should reject this outright, and the best way to do this is to derail fast-track,” said one nurse in remarks, referring to Trade Promotion Authority. The nurse railed against investor-state dispute settlement proposals in TPP that could undermine country-specific regulations in order to serve corporate profits interests, and criticized opacity in the negotiation process, a common complaint from TPP critics (see 1412120004). The delegation also released documentation at the event that said TPP would threaten food safety by easing labeling laws and allowing more pesticides.
DeLauro went to view some TPP negotiating texts, alongside four other House lawmakers, in a secure office in the Capitol after the press conference, she said. Meanwhile, in comments on her way to the viewing, DeLauro said the Finance Committee cancellation of a trade hearing the same day (see 1502250075) likely shows Hatch isn't ready to make significant concessions for a TPA compromise. "It seems as if what modest requests Sen. Wyden made, Sen. Hatch is not willing to buy," she said. "And so it remains to be seen whether or not they can come up with an agreement."